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NOTE. 


This scheme of Sunday-School Lessons embraces two series, with 
three volumes in each: two in each series on the Gospels, one in 
each series on the Acts of the Apostles. The first series is designed 
for “Intermediate,” the second for “Bible Classes.” Numbers 2 and 
3, each series, will appear in due time. 


ntICE, $53 PEE EOZEU. 





JESUS, THE CHRIST 


LESSONS FOR INTERMEDIATE CLASSES, FROM 
THE EVANGELISTS. 


ATTICUS G. HAYGOOD, D.D., 

President of Emory College. 


“Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they 
are they which testify of me.”—John v, 39. 


IN TWO VOLUMES. 

VOL. I. 


(a Co 0 8 


MACON, GA.: 

j\ W. BUFIKE dt OO. 

1877. 





Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1877, by 
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No. 1. 


































































































































































































































































































































































































































JESUS, THE CHRIST 


LESSON I. 


THE BIRTH OF JESUS. Luke ii, 1-20. 


Reading Lesson: Isa. ix. 


Golden Text: Isa. lii, 9, 


LESSON HYMN. 


Hark! the herald angels sing,— 
“Glory to the new-born King; 
Peace on earth, and mercy mild 
God and sinners reconciled.” 


uujiiu J uauuiio liov,- 

Join the triumphs of the skies; 
With th’ angelic hosts proclaim,— 
“ Christ is born in Bethlehem.” 


Joyful all ye nations rise,— 


QUESTIONS. 


1. How long since Jesus was born ? (A.D.) 2. Who made a decree 
about the time that Jesus was born? 1 Verse 1. (Cesar Augustus.) 
3. When did this registration begin ? Verse 2. 4. Where was each man 
registered? Verse 3. 5. Who went to Bethlehem to be registered? 

and why did he go there ? Verse 4. (The city of David. See 1 Sam. 
xvi.) G. Who went with Joseph to be registered ? Verse 5. 7. Where 

did Mary lay her babe? Verses 6, 7. (Manger.) 8. Who were close 
by Bethlehem? and what were they doing? Verse 8. 9. Who came 

suddenly? Verse 9, first part. 10. What more is said in this verse? 

11 . What did the angel say to the frightened shepherds? Verse 10. 

12. What were the glad tidings the angels brought ? Verse 11. 13. How 

were the shepherds to know the right babe? Verse 12. 14. Who 

came suddenly? and how did they come? Verse 13. 15. It was a 

great choir of angels ; what did they sing ? Verse 14. 16. Where did 

the angels go after the song? Verse 15, first part. 17. What did the 
shepherds propose when the angels had gone away? Same verse. 

18. How did they go to Bethlehem ? and whom did they find ? Verse 16. 

19. Such good ana wonderful news they could not keep: what did the 

shepherds do? Verse 17. 20. What is said of those who heard their 
story? Verse 18. 21. What is said of the good mother? Verse 19. 

(Pondered.) 22. In what state of mind did the shepherds return to 
their fiocks? Verse 20. 23. How should this same story affect our 

hearts to-day ? Teacher should explain words in ( ). 


1 All the wnrld —The Roman Empire. Taxed, here means registered for taxation. 
Own city —The place of his birth. Upon the facts mentioned, verses 3 - 5 , Alfokd 
remarks: “In the Roman census men, women, and children were enrolled; but 
then, this census was made at their dwelling-place, not at that of their extraction. 
The latter practice springs from the Jewish genealogical habits, and its adoption in 
this case speaks strongly for the accuracy of the chronology. If this enrollment 
were by Augustus, and for the whole empire, it, of course, would be made so as to 
include all , after the Koman manner; but, inasmuch as it was made under the Jew¬ 
ish king, Herod, it was done after the Jexcieh manner in thus taking his account 
of each at his own place of extraction.” 


No. 1. 




6 JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


LESSON II. 


THE CIRCUMCISION AND PRESENTATION OF JESUS IN 
THE TEMPLE. Luke ii, 21-38. 

Reading Lesson: Lulte ii, 1-32. Golden Text: Isa. Iii, lO. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Father, our hearts we lift 
Up to thy gracious throne, 

And thank thee for the precious gift 
Of thine incarnate Son. 


The gift unspeakable 
We thankfully receive, 

And to the world thy goodness tell, 
And to thy glory live. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. Recall last Sunday’s lesson : the angel appearing to the shepherds ; 
the song of the many angels; the shepherds rejoicing over the babe in 
the manger; the holy mother. 2 . What is said in verse 21 of our lesson 
to-day, of the naming of the child ? 1 (Compare verse 21 with Matt, i, 
21-25.) 3. What did Mary do after this? Verse 22 . (Jesus was now 

forty days old; explain “present him to the Lord.”) 4. What was 
written in the law? Verse 23. 5. On such occasions the rich brought 

costly offerings ; what did Mary bring? Verse 24. 6. What good man 

is mentioned ? Verse 25, first part. 7. What is said of this good man’s 
piety? Same verse. (Waiting for the consolation of Israel.) 8 . What 
had the Holy Ghost revealed to Simeon? Verse 26. 9. What led 

Simeon to go into the temple at the very moment the infant Jesus was 
brought in ? Verse 27, first part. 10. What did the good old man do 
as soon as he saw Jesus ? Verse 28. 11. What did he say ? Verse 29. 

12. Why was he willing to die now ? Verse 30. (Thy salvation.) 13. For 
whom was the salvation that Jesus brought prepared? Verse 31. 
14. How did Simeon show that Christ came for all ? Verse 32. (Gen¬ 
tiles.) 15. What is said of Joseph and Mary when they heard these 
things? Verse 33. 16. What did Simeon do? Verse 34, first part. 
17. What did he say to Mary? Verses 34, 35. (Fall and rise, sign, 
spoken against.) 18. What did Simeon say especially to the mother ? 
Verse 35, the words in ( ). (Explain this.) 19. Who is mentioned in 
verse 36? 20. How old was she? Verse 37. 21. How do you know 
that Anna was a holy woman ? Same verse. 22. What did Anna do 
when she saw the divine child? Verse 38. 


1 The Jews named their male children when they were circumcised, at eight days 
old. 


LESSON ill. 

THE VISIT OP THE WISE MEN-THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT 
-THE SLAUGHTER OP THE INNOCENTS. Matt ii, 1-18. 

Reading Lesson: Isa. Ix. Golden Text: Isa. lx, 1. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Sun of righteousness to thee, 

Lo 1 the nations bow the knee; 
And the realms of distant kings, 
Own the healing of thy wings: 
No. 1. 


See the beams, intensely shed, 
Shine on Sion’s favored head! 
Never may they hence remove, 
God of truth, and God of love I 






JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


7 


QUESTIONS. 

1. Recall last Sunday’s lesson. 2. Where was Jesus born? Verse 1. 
(Bethlehem.) 1 3. Who was king of Judea when Jesus was born ? Same 
verse. 4. Who came to Jerusalem? (Herod, Jerusalem, Judea, “ wiso 
men from the East.”) 2 5. What did the wise men ask? Verse 2, first 
part. 6. What had they seen? and why had they come? Same verse. 
7. What was the effect of their Words? Verse 3. (Show why they were 
troubled.) 8. Whom did Herod call together? Verse 4. 9. What did 
he ask this grand council to determine? 10. What answer did the 
council give? Verse 5. 11. What reason did they give? Verses 5, 6. 3 

12. What did Herod do when he heard these things? Verse 7. 

13. What did he say to the wise men? Verse 8. (Show why the cruel 

hypocrite took this course.) 14. How did the wise men find the infant 
Saviour? Verse 9. 15. What did they do when the star “stood over 

where the young child was ? ” Verse 10. 1G. What was the first thing 

they did when they came into the house? Verse 11, first part. (The 
crowd was gone now and there was room for the holy family.) 17. What 
did they do after they had worshiped the divine child? Same verse. 
(Frankincense, myrrh. “Treasures” here means the caskets that con¬ 
tained the presents.) 18. Why did the wise men not visit Ilerod on 
their return to their own country ? Verse 12. 19. Who came to Joseph, 

and with what message, from God? Verse 13. (Egypt.) 4 20. How 
long were they to stay in Egypt? and why was it necessary to flee? 
Same verse. 21. How did tiie good Joseph show his sincere faith? 
Verse 14. 22. How long did the holy family remain in Egypt ? Verse 15. 
(About two years, as is supposed.) 23. What prophecy was thus ful¬ 
filled? Same verse. 24. What did the cruel Herod do when he found 
that the wise men had escaped his trap? Verse 16. 25. What proph¬ 

ecy was fulfilled in this dreadful slaughter of innocent children ? Verses 
17, 18. (See Jer. xxxi, 15. All God’s prophecies will be fulfilled.) 


1 An insignificant village about seven miles south of Jerusalem. It was “the city 
of David.” 1 Sam. xvi. The word Bethlehem means house of bread. 

2 The word rendered “ East ” may mean either Arabia, Persia, Chaldea, or Parthia. 
■—Alford. They were “in the East” when they first saw the star; it was west¬ 
ward of them, guiding them into Judea. 

3 Compare Micah v, 2, seven hundred years before; Luke ii, 1-7, tells how it came 
to pass. 

4 Egypt, being near, and a Iioman province, and independent of Herod, and much 
inhabited by Jews, was an easy and convenient refuge. —Alford. 


LESSON IV. 


THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS. 

It ending Lesson: Prov. iii, 1-20. 

LESSON 

O Wisdom! whose unfading power 
Beside the’ Eternal stood, 

To frame, in nature’s earliest hour, 

The land, the sky, the flood; 

Yet didst not thou disdain awhile 
An infant form to wear,— 

To bless thy mother with a smile, 

And lisp thy falter'd prayer. 

No. 1. 


Matt, ii, 19-23 ; Luke ii, 39-52. 

Golden Text:* Luke ii, 40. 

HYMN. 

But in thy Father’s own abode, 

With Israel’s elders round, 
Conversing high with Israel’s God, 
Thy chiefest joy was found. 

So may our youth adore thy Name! 

And, Saviour! deign to bless 
With fost’ring grace the timid flame 
Of early holiness. 





8 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. Recall the incidents of our last lesson: the miraculous star; the 
magi 5 the excitement in Jerusalem; the answer of the council; the 
flight into Egypt; the slaughter of the innocents . 1 2. Who appeared 
to Joseph as soon as Herod died? Matt, ii, 19. 3. What did the angels 

say? Verse 20 . 4. What did Joseph do ? Verse 21 . 5. Why was he 
afraid to return to Judea? Verse 22. (He went into Galilee by divine 
direction.) 6. To what place did he go? Verse 23. (They had lived 
there before; they only went home. Luke i, 26; ii, 4.) 7. Now turn 

to Luke ii, 40; 2 what does Luke say of the early childhood of Jesus? 
8 . What did his parents do every year? Verse 41. 3 (Feast of the pass- 
over.) 9. What did they do when Jesus was twelve years old? Verse 
42. (The Jews spoke of going up when they went to Jerusalem, even 
when they went southward ana from a higher region.) 10. What oc¬ 
curred when their visit was ended? Verse 43. (Fulfilled the days 
means, stayed out the time of the passover feast.) 11. Where did Joseph 
and Mary suppose Jesus to be ? Verse 44. (They traveled in caravans.) 
12. What did they do when they could not find Jesus among their 
friends? Verse 45. 13. When and where did they find him? Verse 

46, first part. (“After three days” means here on the third day.) 
14. What was Jesus doing when they found him? 4 Same verse, sec¬ 
ond part. 15. What is safd of those who listened to his questions and 
answers? Verse 47. 16. What did Joseph and Mary think? Verse 

48, first part. 17. What did his mother say to him? Same verse. 
18. What answer did Jesus make to his mother ? Verse 49. (Father 
here means God.) 19. Did they understand him at that time? Verse 
50. 20. What is said of Jesus after this? Verse 51. (Subject unto 
them.) 21. What is said of Mary’s thoughts ? Same verse, second part. 
22. What is said of the growth and character of Jesus ? Verse 52. 6 

1 The cruel Herod died of a horrible disease a year or two after Joseph fled with 
Mary and Jesus into Egypt. 

2 This verse tells us all we know of the life of Jesus till he was twelve years old. 
It tells us that he was a holy child—the pattern for all children. 

3 There was a law for this. Exod. xxiii, 14-17. 

4 Jesus was not arguing or disputing with the doctors, or teachers, of the law; he 
was in the position of a true religious boy, learning God's word. Let the teacher 
compare verse 52. What an example 1 

5 We have her a four glimpses of the life of Jesus from his early infancy till he was 
thirty years old: (1) his life and character till he was twelve years old, verse 40; 
(2) a student of God's word in God’s house, verse 46; (3) obedient to his parents, 
verse 51; (4) he increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man, 
verse 52. 


LESSON V. 

THE PREACHING AND BAPTISM OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
Luke iii, 1-18; Matt, iii, 1-12; Mark i, 1-8. 

Reading Lesson: Isa. xl. Golden Text: Isa. xl, 3. 

LESSON HYMN. 


Repent, the voice celestial cries, 

No longer dare delay; 

The wretch that scorns the mandate dies, 
And meets a fiery day. 


The summons goes through all the earth, 
Let earth attend and fear; 

Listen, ye men of royal birth, 

And let your vassals hear. 


QUESTIONS. 

1* Recall last Sunday’s lesson- the return from Egypt: the visit to 
Jerusalem, etc. 2. What is said of the rulers when Jonn began to 





JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


9 


preach? Luke iii, 1. (The teacher will tell who these men were and 
what countries they ruled.) 3. What is said, verse 2 , of John’s call to 
preach? (High-priests.) 4. Where did he begin to preach? Verse 3 . 
5. What did he preach? Same verse. (Baptism of repentance, remis¬ 
sion of sins. Compare Matt, iii, 2.) 1 6 . How had the prophet Isaiah, 
seven hundred years before, described the preaching of John? Luke 
iii, 4-6. (Show how John’s preaching “prepared the way” for Christ.) 
7. Turn to Matt, iii, 4; what is said of John’s manner of life ? a 8. What 
is said of those who went to hear him preach ? Matt. iii. 5, 6 . 9. What 

did the preacher say to the Pharisees and Sadducees wno came to hear 
him? Read Matt, iii, 7-12. (The teacher should tell who these were, 
and show the appropriateness of his words to them.) 10. What solemn 
warning did John give the people? Luke iii, 9. 11. What did the 

people ask him and what did he answer? Luke iii, 10 , 11 . 12. The 

publicans were the Roman tax-gatherers : what did they ask, and what 
answer did they receive? Luke iii, 12 , 13. (They were accustomed to 
exact more than the legal tax.) 13. What advice did John give to the 
soldiers? Luke iii, 14. (He warned each class against the sins they 
were likely to commit; John was an honest and fearless preacher.) 
14. What is said, Luke iii, 15, of the thoughts the people had about 
John? 15. How did John answer their questions and doubts about 
him? Luke iii ? 16. (Explain.) 16. What more did he tell them of 
the coming ministry and kingdom of Christ ? Luke iii, 17. (Fan, purge 
his floor, burn up the chaff, etc. These words to us , and for us.) 
17. Does Luke tell us all about John’s preaching? Verse 18. 1.8. The 
teacher should read Mark’s account, chap, i, 1-8. 


1 This we may consider the constant text of John’s preaching. As to the signifi¬ 
cance of John’s baptism, Watson says: “It was a declaration of repentance and re¬ 
nunciation of sin, and it was a profession of faith in the immediate, revelation of 
the Messiah, and of trust in him to take away sin ; for to him as the Redeemer John 
directed his converts."’ 

2 Locusts were permitted to be eaten. (Lev. xi, 22.) Ancient historians say that 
the Ethiopians eat them. The wild Bushmen of Africa eat them to this day. They 
gather great quantities, dry them in the sun, grind them up, mix them into a sort 
of paste with wild honey, and eat it as if it were good. 


LESSON VI. 


THE BAPTISM OF JESUS. Matt, iii, 13-17; Mark i, 9-11; 

Luke iii, 21-23. 

Rending Lesson: Matt. iii. Golden Text: Matt, iii, 17. 


LESSON 

See! from on high, a light divine, 

On Jesus’ head descend ; 

And hear the sacred voice from heaven. 
That bids us all attend. 


HYMN. 

“This is my well-beloved Son,” 
Proclaimed the voice divine; 

“ Hear him,” his heavenly Father said, 
“ For all his words are mine."’ 


QUESTIONS. 

1. Our last Sunday’s lesson was about the preaching of John the 
Baptist: Where and when did he begin to preach? Who came to hear 
him ? What was the subject of his preaching ? What did John say of 
Him who was to come after him? 2. What is the subject of our lesson 
to-day? The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. 3. How old was 
Jesus at the time of his baptism ? Luke iii, 23. (John was about six 

No. 1. 





10 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

months older.) 4. From what region did Jesus come to be baptized? 
Matt, iii, 13. 5. From what town in Galilee? Mark i, 9. 6o Where 

was Galilee? Nazareth? 7. What sort of place was Nazareth? (The 
teacher should give some account of Nazareth.) 8. Near whatplace on 
the Jordan was Jesus probably baptized? John i, 28. 9. Why was 

John unwilling to baptize Jesus? Matt, iii, 14. 10. How did Jesus 

overcome John’s reluctance? Matt, iii, 15. (Explain our Lord’s words.) 
11* When was Jesus baptized? Luke iii, 21. (After all who came 
that day were baptized.) 12. What was Jesus doing while being bap¬ 
tized? Same verse. 13. What did Jesus see just as the baptism was 
finished? Mark i, 10. 14. How does Matthew (iii, 16) describe this 

scene ? 15. How does Luke (iii, 21, 22) describe the same scene? (Ex¬ 

plain the symbolism of the dove.) 16. Why was Jesus baptized? It 
was the ceremony of his public consecration to his appointed work. 1 

17. In what sense alone is Christ’s baptism an example to us? In his 
respect for divine ordinances and in his reverent and prayerful spirit. 

18. What is the “inward and spiritual grace” signified by our bap¬ 
tism ? The Catechism says: “ Our being cleansed from sin, and becom¬ 
ing new creatures in Christ Jesus.” 1*9. In what, then, is Christ’s 
baptism chiefly different from ours? There was no sin in Christ that 
he had need to repent of or to be cleansed from. 20. IIow else may 
we know that Christ was not baptized simply as an example to us? He 
was not baptized till he was thirty years old, and we are not to wait 
so long. 21. In what else does our baptism differ from Christ’s? We 
are baptized “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
Holy Ghost.” (Jesus was not so baptized. The command (Matt, 
xxvlii, 19) came after this and after his resurrection.) 


1 As Christ’s circumcision denoted his personal purity, so his baptism denoted the 
sanctity of his official character.— Summers. 


LESSON VII. 


THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS. Matt, iv, 1-11; Mark i, 12,13; 

Luke iv. 1-13. 


Reading Lesson: Heb. ii. 

LESSON 

Cold mountains and the midnight air 
Witnessed the fervor of Thy prayer; 
The desert Thy temptations knew, 

Thy conflict and Thy vict’ry too. 


Golden Text: Heb. ii, 18. 

HYMN. 

Be Thou my pattern, make me bear 
More of Thy glorious image here; 

Then God. the Judge, shall own my name, 
Among the foll’wers of the Lamb. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What was the subject of our last Sunday’s lesson? When, where, 
and by whom was Jesus baptized? Describe the scene. 2. What is 
our subject to-day ? The temptation of Jesus. 3. What is said about 
it in Matthew iv. 1? (Mark i, 12, shows how soon after his baptism.) 
4. How does Luke iv, 1, express it? 5. Who is the devil? The Cate¬ 
chism says: “The chief of the fallen angels, who, before the creation 
of man, sinned against God, and were cast out of heaven.” 6 . What is 
the employment of the devil and his angels? The Catechism says: 
“ Their employment is to tempt men to sin, and to lead them to their 
own place of misery.” (“Devil” means slanderer; “Satan” means 
enemy. See 1 Pet. v, 8.) 7. IIow long did Jesus fast ? Matt, iv, 2. 





11 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

8. What is said of Jesus during all this time of fasting? Mark i, 13. 
1). What does Luke iv, 2, say of him during this period? 10. Who 
came to Jesus at the end of forty days, and what aid he say? Matt, 
iv, 3. (This was the first of the three great recorded temptations.) 
11. How did Jesus meet the devil’s first temptation? Matt, iv, 4. 
(See Deut. viii, 3, and see the appropriateness of this answer from the 
Bible.) 12. What did Satan do after his first defeat? Matt, iv, 5. (Holy 
city, pinnacle of the temple.) 13. What did the devil urge Jesus to 
do? Matt, iv, 6. (See Psa. xci, 11, 12. Satan did not quote it all.) 
14. How did Jesus meet this new temptation? Matt, iv, 7. (See Deut. 
vi,16, and show how Satan first tempted Jesus to doubt God’s care, 
next to presume on it.) 15. Where did Satan next place Jesus ? Matt, 
iv, 8. 16. What did he show him ? Same verse. 17. What did the 

devil propose to Jesus in this last of the three great temptations ? 1 Matt, 
iv, 9. 18. How did Jesus meet this temptation to idolatry? Matt, 

iv, 10, first part. 19. What Scripture did Jesus employ ? Same verse. 
(Deut. vi, 13. etc.) 20. What did the devil now do? Matt, iv, 11. 
(Compare Luke iv, 13.) 21. Who came when Satan had gone away, 
and what did they do ? Same verse. (Compare Mark i, 13.) 22. The 
devil is still tempting men to sin; what does the example of Jesus teach 
us ? To resist the devil. 23. With what weapon ? With “ the sword of 
the Spirit, which is the word of God.” 24. What does St. Paul say of the 
temptation of Jesus? That he “was in all points tempted like as we 
are, yet without sin.” 25 . What else does the apostle say ? That Jesus 
“ suffered being tempted.” 26. What does this teach us about Jesus 
who is our high-priest? That he is “touched with the feeling of our 
infirmities.” 27. What more? That he “is able to succor them that 
are tempted.” 28. In view of all these things what does St. Paul exhort 
us to do ? To “ come boldly to the throne of grace.” 29. Why should 
we come? To “ obtain mercy and find grace to help in time or need.” 

30. Why should we come humbly ? Because we are utterly unworthy. 

31. Why should we come boldly ? Because Jesus is able and willing 
to save us; because he sympathizes with us and bids us come. (Now 
let the teacher go back to question 23, and read Heb. iv, 15, 16 ; ii, 18, 
and explain, exhorting all to go to Christ when tempted of the devil.) 


1 Luke iv, 6, Satan claims the dominion and sovereignty of the world, thus show¬ 
ing himself to be the “ father of lies,” for he is a miserable'bankrupt, owning nothing. 


LESSON VIII. 


THE WORD MADE PLESH. John i, 1-18. 

Reading Lesson: John i, 1-23. Golden Text: John i, 14. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Jesus, the holy child, 

Doth, by his birth, declare 
That God and man are reconciled, 
And one in him we are. 


A peace on earth be brings, 

Which never more shall end; 

The Lord of hosts, the King of kings, 
Declares himself our friend. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. How does St. John begin his Gospel? Verse 1. (“In the begin¬ 
ning”—that is, from eternity—“the Word.”) 2. What is said, verse 2, 
of tne Word ? 3. What things were made by the Word, that is, by our 
Lord Jesus Christ, before he became flesh? Verse 3. (Creative power 

No. 1. 





12 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


ascribed to him.) 4. What is said of “ the life” that was in the Word? 
Verse 4. 5. What is said of the light which Jesus Christ brings into 
the world? Verse 5. 6. We have been studying about the preaching 
of John the Baptist; John the Evangelist, who wrote the fourth Gospel, 
only mentions it here: who sent John the Baptist to preach? Verse 6. 
7. What did John the Baptist come to do? Verse 7. 8. Some people 

mistook John the Baptist for the Christ: how is that notion corrected? 
Verse 8. 9. How is Jesus Christ, the “ true Light,” described ? Verse 9. 
10. What does John say of the world’s unbelief ? Verse 10. 11. How 

is the unbelief of the Jews, his own peculiar people, described? Verse 11. 
(“His own” rejected him.) 12. But a few did receive Jesus as the 
Christ, the Saviour of men: what great blessing did they receive? 
Verse 12. 13. How is the spiritual birth of those who truly believed on 

Jesus described? Verse 13. 14. What was the Word made? Verse 14. 1 

15. How is the life and character of the Word made flesh set forth? 
Same verse. (Dwelt among us, his glory, full of grace and truth.) 

16. Who bare witness of the Word made flesh? Verse 15, first part. 

17. What did John say of Jesus, the Word made flesh? Same verse, 
second part. 18. Verse 16 seems to be the language of John the Evan¬ 
gelist: what does he say of all who truly loved and believed Jesus? 

19. How does John compare Moses and Jesus Christ? Verse 17. 

20. What is said, verse 18, of seeing God? 21. As no man has seen, 
or can see, God, how can we know any thing of him ? Same verse, sec¬ 
ond part. 2 22. What great doctrine does our lesson to-day teach us? 
That Jesus Christ is “very God” as well as “ very man.” 23. What 
else ? That he became flesh to bring us back to God by saving us from 
our sins. (Only a Divine Saviour can deliver men from their sins.) 


1 “Became flesh; ” i. e., took upon himself humanity when born of Mary. 

2 The Incarnate Word alone can reveal the Father to us, as the Eternal Word alone 
knows the Father. It is through Jesus alone that we can learn the true character 
of God, as it is through Jesus alone that we can be saved. See John xiv, 6-13. 


LESSON IX. 

THE THREEFOLD TESTIMONY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST TO 
THE MESSIAHSHIP OF JESUS. John i, 19-37. 

Reading Lesson : Isa. xl. Golden Text: John I, 29. 

LESSON HYMN. 


Not all the blood of beasts, 

On Jewish altars slain, 

Could give the guilty conscience peace, 
Or wash away the stain. 


But Christ the heavenly Lamb, 
Takes all our sins away; 

A sacrifice of nobler name, 

And richer blood than they. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. Why did the Jews (the Sanhedrin 1 ) send priests and Levites to 
John the Baptist? Verse 19. 2. What answer did John give to the 
Sanhedrin’s committee? Verse 20. 3. What did they ask John when 
he denied all pretension to being the Christ ? and what did he answer to 
their questions ? Verse 21. (Elias, 2 that prophet. See Deut. xviii, 15.) 
4. They were not yet satisfied and sought a positive answer: what did 
they next ask him? Verse 22. 5. What did John now say of himself? 

Verse 23. (Compare with Isa. xl, 3-5.) 6. To what sect did the mes¬ 
sengers belong ? Verse 24. 3 7. They now questioned his right to bap¬ 
tize: what did they ask? Verse 25. 8. What did John say of his 





JESUS, TIIE CHRIST. 


13 


baptism? Verse 26. (Matt, iii, 11 shows what Christ’s baptism was to 
be.) 9. How did John express his exalted opinion of Jesus? Verses 
26j 27. (Loosing the shoe was the office of a servant.) 10 . Where did 
this interview between John and the messengers of the Sanhedrin occur? 
Verse 28. 11 . Whom did John see the day after he met the messen¬ 
gers? Verse 29. 12. What did John say as he pointed to Jesus? 

Same verse. (Lamb of God, taketh away the sin of the world.) 
13. What more did he say of Jesus ? Verse 30. (Compare verses 15 
and 27.) 14. Up to this time, as it seems, John was not personally ac¬ 

quainted with Jesus: what did he know? Verse 31. (lie knew, al¬ 
though he had not yet seen him, that the Messiah was about to appear.) 
15. What had John seen descending upon Jesus? Verse 32. (Com¬ 
pare Matt, iii, 16, etc.) 1G. In verse 33 John gives the ground of his 
certain knowledge that Jesus was the Christ: what sign had been given 
to him? Verse 33. 17. What testimony did John say he bore when 

he had seen the promised sign? Verse 34. 18. Who were with John 

the day after what is described in verses 29-34? Verse 35. 19. Who 

was one of the two? Verse 40. (No doubt the other was John, the 
author of this Gospel.) 20. Jesus was again in the company: what did 
the Baptist say to Andrew and John? Verse 36. 21. Wliat did they 
do when they heard this ? Verse 37. 


1 The Jews. — Upon this phrase Alford remarks: “John alone, of the Evangelists, 
uses this expression, principally as designating the chiefs of the Jewish people—the 
members of the Sanhedrin.” It was the right of this body to inquire into the pre¬ 
tensions of religious teachers. Matt, xxi, 23. The Sanhedrin was the supreme coun¬ 
cil among the Jews. By it were dispatched all the great affairs both of religion and 
public policy. 

2 They, misunderstanding Mai. iv, 5, thought that Elijah (Elias is the Greek form 
of his name) would appear in his own person to announce the Messiah. Jesus gave 
the true sense of the prophecy to his disciples. See Matt, xvii, 10-13. 

3 The Pharisees were the strongest and most popular sect among the Jews. They 
were also the strictest about all ceremonies, traditions, and questions of the law. 
They had controlling influence in Jewish affairs in the time of our Lord. Many of 
them were great hypocrites. Matt, xxiii. They originated about 150 years B. O. 

-- 


LESSON X. 


THE EIBST DISCIPLES. John i, 35-51. 

Reading Lesson: Gen. xxviii. Golden Text: 1 Cor. ii, 9. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Eedeemer of mankind! 

Who on thy Name rely, 

A constant intercourse we find 
Open’d ’twixt earth and sky. 


Mercy, and grace, and peace, 
Descend through thee alone; 
And thou dost all our services 
Present before the throne. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What did John say of Jesus in the presence of two of his disci¬ 
ples? Verses 35, 36. 2. What did the two disciples do when they 
heard this ? Verse 37. 3. What did Jesus ask them when he saw them 

walking behind him, and what did they tell him ? Verse 38. (Rabbi.) 
4. What did Jesus invite them to do? Verse 39. 5. How long did 

they remain in his company? Same verse. 1 6» AVhen did this inter¬ 
view take place? Two days after the Sanhedrin’s committee went to 
John. 7, Who was one of the two? Verse 40. (John, the son of 
Zebedee, was no doubt the other.) 8. What did Andrew do when he 

No. 1. 





14 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

left Jesus? Verse 41. 9. Wliat did he say to his brother? Same 

verse. 2 10. What did Andrew do with Peter? Verse 42, first part. 
(He introduced Peter to Jesus.) 11. What did Jesus say to Peter? 
Same verse. (Cephas and Peter mean the same thing — a rock.) 
12. Where did Jesus start to go the next day? Verse 43. (Verse 28 
tells where they then were.) 13. Where is Galilee? 14. What new 
disciple did Jesus call to follow him? Verse 43. 15. Of what town 

was Philip a native? Verse 44. 16. What two neighbors are men¬ 

tioned here? 17. Whom did Philip find, and what did he say to him? 
Verse 45. 18. What did Nathanael ask Philip in reply? Verse 46. 3 

19. How did Philip answer Nathanael’s doubting question? Same 
verse. 20. How dia Jesus describe Nathanael as lie saw him approach¬ 
ing? Verse 47. (Israelite indeed—no guile.) 21. The words of Jesus 
surprised Nathanael: what did he ask ? Verse 48, first part. 22. How 
did Jesus answer, and how did his answer show more than human 
knowledge? Same verse, second part. 23. That Jesus knew all about 
Nathanael convinced him: how did he express his faith in the Messiah- 
ship of Jesus? Verse 49. 24. (So Jesus knows all about each one of 

us.) 25. What did Jesus ask Nathanael? Verse 50. 26. What did 

he promise to Nathanael ? Same verse. 27. What did Jesus say should 
be seen, not by Nathanael only, but by all true believers? Verse 51. 4 
(Compare Gen. xxviii, 10-19.) 


1 The tenth hour was about 4 o’clock P. M. 

2 The Hebrew Messiah and the Greek Christos mean anointed. Jesus was the 
Lord’s anointed. Acts x, 3S. 

3 Nazareth was a sorry place, and Nathanael knew that the Christ was to be born 
in Bethlehem. 

4 The promise holds good in its widest sense for all believers who abide with 
Him: greater and yet greater things shall they continue to see.— Sties. 


LESSON XI. 

THE BEGINNING OF MIKACLES-JESUS PURGES THE 
TEMPLE. John ii. 


Reading Lesson: John ii. 

LESSON 

•Tesus, Friend of human kind, 

Let us in thy name be join'd; 

Each to each unite and' bless; 

Keep us still in perfect peace. 


Golden Text: John ii, 16. 

IIYMN. 

Heavenly, all-alluring Dove, 

Shed thy overshadowing love; 
Love, the sealing grace, impart; 
Dwell within our single heart 


QUESTIONS. 

1. Who are mentioned in our last lesson as becoming acquainted with 
Jesus? Chap, i, 40-45. 2. What took place the third day after Jesus 

talked with Nathanael? Verse 1. 3. Who were among the invited 

guests? Verse 2. (The disciples mentioned chap, i, 40-45.) 4. What 
did the mother of Jesus say when the wine gave out, aid what did he 
answer? Verses 3, 4. (John xix, 26, shows that the use of the word 
“woman” was neither disrespectful nor unkind.) 5. What did Jesus 
mean by “my hour is not yet come?” 4 6. Although reproved 2 for 
interfering, Mary had faith that Jesus would supply the lack: what did 
she say to the servants? Verse 5. 7. What did the servants do ? Verse 
6. (Purifying of the Jews—firkins—the six held about one hundred and 

No. 1. 






In this picture you see in the outer court, -which is the Court of the Gentiles, one person. In the Court of the Women are 
two persons; in the inner, or Men's Court, are three. These two courts are called collectively the Court of the Israelites. 
Beyond this, where you see four persons standing, is the Court of the Priests. 



No. 1. 


2 


iiiiiiiiiiiiinrm 





































































































































































































































































JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


17 


thirty-three gallons.) 8. What did Jesus tell the servants to do ? Verses 
7, 8. 9. Wh at did the ruler of the feast (verses 9, 10) think and say 

about the new-made wine? 10. What does St. John say of this mira¬ 
cle? Verse 11. 11. This was truly a Christian marriage; our ritual 

says of marriage: “ Which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with 
his presence and first miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galilee.” (En¬ 
tertainments are bad if Jesus cannot be invited to them.) 12. To what 
town did Jesus and his friends go just after the wedding? Verse 12. 
(His brethren, probably his cousins. Tell the class something of our 
Lord’s connection with Capernaum.) 13. What was the occasion, soon 
after the wedding, that led Jesus to go to Jerusalem ? Verse 13. (Pass- 
over. 3 ) 14. What did Jesus do when he found God’s house defiled by 
the buyers and sellers? Verses 15, 16. 4 15. What did Jesus say to 

these sacrilegious men? Verse 16. 16. Of what did our Lord’s conduct 
and words remind the disciples? Verse 17. (Ps. lxix, 9.) 17. Some 

questioned his authority: what did Jesus say on this subject? Verses 
18,19. 18. They misunderstood him: how did they answer? Verse 

20. 19. What did he refer to? Verse 21. (The temple of his body.) 

20.When did his disciples recall and understand his words ? Verse 22. 
(His resurrection was the great sign which he gave of his divine char¬ 
acter and authority.) 21. Did Jesus work "other miracles while in 
Jerusalem? Verse 23. (The last verse in John’s gospel shows that Je¬ 
sus worked many unrecorded miracles.) 22. Why did Jesus not trust 
fully some persons who believed at this time? Verse 24. 23. Why 

did Jesus not need to ask people’s opinions about men? 5 Verse 25. 
24. What lessons may’ we learn from this history as to the true uses of 
all houses dedicated to God’s service? 25. What must he who drove 
out the traders think of people who behave badly in the house of God ? 


1 It seems to mean only, the right time lias not yet come. It contained a hint that 
he would by and by supply the lack, thus mingling comfort with the rebuke. 

2 There is nothing in this nor any other New Testament passage to justify the 
Roman Catholic notions about Mary. 

3 The Passover commemorated the passing over of the blood-besprinkled houses 
of the Israelites when the destroying angel visited God’s wrath upon Egypt by slay¬ 
ing the first-born of the land. Compare Ex. xii, xiii; Lev. xxiii, 5-8; Num. xxviii, 
16-25, etc. 

4 Jesus probably made the whip of the rushes on which the animals lay. Of course 
he did not strike either men or beasts. The scourge was symbolical of his authority, 
and of the punishment these men were bringing on themselves by their wickedness. 

5 This does not mean simply that Jesus was only a good “judge of human na¬ 
ture,” but that he had a divine, and therefore perfect, knowledge of all men. He 
so knows us. 


4 ^ 


LESSON XII. 

THE DISCOURSE OP JESUS WITH UICODEMUS. John iii, 

1 - 21 . 


Reading Lesson: Rom. viii, 1-18. Golden Text: John iii, 16. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Jesus 1 the name that charms our fears, 
That bids our sorrows cease; 

’Tis music in the sinner’s ears, 

’Tis life, and health, and peace. 

>o. l. 


He breaks the power of cancefd sin. 
He sets the pris’ner free; 

His blood can make the foulest clean; 
His blood avail’d for me. 





13 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. Who came to Jesus by night, and how did he begin his interview 
with Jesus? Verses 1, 2. 1 (Rabbi.) 2. How did Jesus answer Nieo- 
dernus? Verse 3. (Kingdom of God.) 3. What is the new birth here 
spoken of? The Catechism says: It is that great change which God 
works in the soul when he raises it from the death of sin to the life of 
righteousness. 2 4. Nicodemus did not understand Jesus: how did he 
express his doubt, and how did Jesus answer him ? Verses 5, 6. (Born 
of water and of the Spirit.) 5. How does Jesus state the necessity of a 
new heart? Verse 6. (Like produces like, flesh from flesh, Spirit from 
Spirit.) 6. Why must every one be born again to be saved? Because 
every one has a sinful nature, and this must be changed. (Rom. iii, 10; 
Psa. li, 5.) 7. How does Jesus illustrate the subject? Verses 7, 8. 3 

8. How did Jesus reprove the ruler’s ignorance? Verses 9,10. 9. Ilow 

can it be that a sinner can have a new heart? It can only be by the 

K ower of God. 10. What must the sinner do to experience a change of 
eart? Repent of his sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. 
11. What is Jesus able to do for sinners ? He “ is able to save unto the 
uttermost all that come unto God by him.” 12. How did Jesus assure 
Nicodemus of the truth of what he told him? Verse 11. 13. What 

does he ask him in reproof of his hesitation and unbelief? Verse 12. 
14. Who alone has come to earth to tell us of the kingdom of God? 
Verse 13. 15. How did Jesus say “ the Son of man must be lifted up ?” 

Verse 14. (Teacher should refer to Num. xxi, 6-9.) 1G. Jesus here 

looks forward to his death on the cross: why was he going to die for 
sinners? Verse 15. 17. What wonderful proof has God given of his 

love to sinners? Verse 16. (Jesus comes and dies for “the world” for 
all, that all may be saved.) 18. If Jesus died for all how can any be 
lost? By not believing on him as their Saviour. (See John iii, 36, and 
2 Cor. iv, 3, 4.) 19. How does Jesus further state the object of his 

coming into the world? Verse 17. (Condemn.) 20. Who is not con¬ 
demned? Verse 18, first part. 21. Why arc the unbelieving condemned? 
Same verse. 22. What is the great sin on account of which sinners are 
condemned? Verse 19. (Jesus is the light: all may see who will. The 
rejection of Jesus is the greatest of sins.) 23. Who hates the light and 
why? Verse 20. 24. Why do truth-lovers come to the light? Verse 21. 
25. Besides verse 16, what Scripture proofs can you give that Jesus died 
for all men ? 


1 One of the “many,” chap, ii, 23. He was, probably, a member of the Sanhe¬ 
drin. He came by night, (compare with verse 2, and chap, xix, 39,) being, perhaps, 
afraid, like those mentioned chap, xii, 42, 43. Whedon says: “He had a head-con¬ 
viction, but little of the martyr-spirit.” 

2 As to the new birth itself, compare chap, iii, 3-6; Eph. ii, 1; Gal. iv, 19; 2 Pet. 
i, 3. Man not the author of it, but the Holy Ghost the “efficient cause.” Compare 
chap, i, 12, 13; iii, 5-7; Eph. ii, 8, 10. The word of God the “instrumental cause” 
of it. Compare James i, IS; 1 Pet. i, 23; 1 Cor. iv, 15. Justification is a work done 
for us, and changes our relation to the law; regeneration is a work done in us, 
and changes our moral state. “Born of water and of the Spirit,” says Bushnell, 
“ is a Hebraism, with the water as the sign, and the Spirit as the power, of the 
change.” 

3 But, little as we know of the winds, we know enough to make us sure that they 
flo not blow capriciously, and that they are as much under law as is the solar sys¬ 
tem. Nor does the Holy Spirit operate capriciously in human hearts I 

No. 1. 



JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


19 


LESSON XIII. 

REVIEW LESSON.* 

Reading Lesson : Isa. ix. Golden Text: John iii, 16. 

(Read carefully during the week the text of the different lessons, and be prepared 
for such questions as the teacher, or superintendent, or pastor, may ask.) 

LESSON HYMN. 

Joy to the world, the Lord is come 1 I He rules the world with truth and grace; 

Let earth receive her King; | And makes the nations prove 

Let every heart prepare him room The glories of his righteousness, 

And heaven and nature sing. | And wonders of his love. 

THE OUTLINE. 

I. The Birth of Jesus. Luke ii, 1-20.—The Roman emperor; his de¬ 
cree ; going to Bethlehem, (1-5.) Birth of Jesus, (7.) The angels and 
the shepherds, (8-15.) The shepherds in the manger at Bethlehem, 
(16, 17.) The news they could not keep, (18-20.) 

II. . The Circumcision and Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. Luke ii, 
21-38.—Jesus circumcised and presented in the temple according to the 
law, (22-24.) Holy Simeon and the infant Jesus, (25-35.) Anna the • 
prophetess rejoicing at the birth of the Messiah, (36-38.) 

III. The Visit of the Wise Men—The Flight into Egypt—The Slaughter 
of the Innocents. Matt, ii, 1-18.—The wise men in Jerusalem; the fright 
and duplicity of Herod, (1-8.) The wise men in Bethlehem; their gifts 
and their rejoicing; their return into their own country, (9-13.) The 
flight into Egypt, (13-15.) The slaughter of the Bethlehem babes, 
(16-18.) 

IY. The Childhood of Jesus. Matt, ii, 19-23; Luke ii, 39-52.—The re¬ 
turn from Egypt and settlement in Nazareth, (Matt, ii, 19-23.) The first 
twelve years of the life of Jesus, (Luke ii, 40.) Jesus in the temple 
learning God’s word, (Luke ii, 42-49.) Subject to his parents, (Luke 

ii, 51-52.) 

V. The P eaching and Baptism of John the Baptist. Luke iii, 1-18; 
Matt, iii, 1-12; Mark i, 1-8.—The time and place of John’s preaching, 
(Luke iii, 1-3 ; Matt, iii, 1; Mark i, 1, 4.) John’s manner of life, (Matt. 

iii, 4; Mark i, .6.) His preaching and baptism, (Luke iii, 3-6; Matt. 

iii, 2-6; Mark i, 2-7.) llis exhortations to various classes, (Matt, iii, 
7-12; Luke iii, 7-18.) 

VI. The Baptism of Jesus. Matt, iii, 13-17; Mark i, 9-11; Luke iii, 
21-23.—John’s reluctance, (Matt, iii, 14, 15.) What Jesus was doing 
when baptized, (Luke iii, 21.) The heavens opened and the divine 
approval, (Luke iii, 21-23.) Proof of the Trinity. 

VII. The Temptation of Jesus. Matt, iv, 1-11; Mark i, 12, 13; Luke 

iv, 1-13.—The fasting of Jesus, (Matt, iv, 2.) Tempted forty days, 
(Mark i, 13.) The first recorded temptation, (Matt, iv, 2-4;) the second, 
(Matt, iv, 5-7;) the third, (Matt, iv, 8-10.) The victory, and the minis¬ 
try of angels, (Matt, iv, 11.) The devil departed “ for a season,” (Luke 
iv 13.) Our encouragement in temptation, (Heb. ii, 17,18; iv, 15, 16.) 

VIII. The Word Made Flesh. John i, 1-23. 

IX. The Threefold Testimony of John the Baptist to the Messiahship of 
Jesus. John i, 19-37.—His answer to the delegation from the Sanhedrin, 

* If the conductor of the review (the teacher, the superintendent, or the pastor) 
will carefully, during the week, read and compare the text of the preceding lessons, 
and fix the annexed skeleton outline in the mind, it will be easy to conduct a profit¬ 
able review; but n > lesson can be learned or taught without study. 

No. 1. 



20 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

(19-28.) His testimony before the people, (29-34.) His testimony be¬ 
fore two of his disciples, (35-37.) 

X. The First Disciples. John i, 35-51.—The two followed Jesus, 
(35-40.) Andrew findeth Simon, (41-42.) Philip called, (43, 44.) 
Nathanael brought to Jesus, (45-51.) 

XI. The Beginning of Miracles—Jesus Purges the Temple. John ii.—The 
water that was made wine, (1-11.) Driving out the profaners of the 
temple, (13-17.) His authority challenged, (18-22.) Unrecorded mira¬ 
cles, (23-25.) 

XII. The Disccmrse of Jesus with Nicodemus. John iii, 1-21.—The ruler 
of the Jews, (1, 2.) Ye must be born again, (3-6.) How can these 
things be? (7-10.) The one and the only Teacher of men, (11-13.) 
The gift of the only-begotten Son, (14-17.) The ground of condemna¬ 
tion, (18-21.) 


LESSON XIV. 


JESUS AT JACOB'S WELL-THE WATER OF LIFE. 
John iv, 1-26. 

'Beading Lesson: Isa.lv. Golden Text: Rev. xxii, 17. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Fountain of life, to all below 
Let thy salvation roll; 
Water, replenish, and o’erflow, 
Every believing soul. 


Into that happy number, Lord, 
Us weary sinners take; 

Jesus, fulfill thy gracious word, 
For thine own mercy’s sake. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. Did Jesus himself baptize ? Verse 2. 2. Compare verses 1 and 3 

and tell why Jesus left Judea for Galilee. 3. Through what region did 
the journey take Jesus? Verse 4. (Samaria was between Galilee and 
Judea, and north of Judea.) 4. What city did he reach in his journey ? 
Verse 5. (An insignificant place thirty-four miles north of Jerusalem.) 
5. How did Jesus rest himself? and at what hour? (It was twelve 
o’clock M.) 6. Who came to the well, and what did Jesus ask ? Verse 7. 
7. Where were the disciples? Verse 8. 8. Why was the woman sur¬ 

prised at his request? Verse 9. (“The Jews have no dealings,” etc.) 
9. How did Jesus give a new turn to the woman’s thoughts ? Verse 10. 
(The gift of God—the spiritual life that comes through Christ.) 10. How 
did she show that she did not understand Jesus? 1 Verses 11, 12. 

11. How did Jesus state the difference between the water of Jacob’s well 
and the water of life? Verses 13, 14. (Compare John vii, 37-38.) 

12. The woman still failed to understand our Lord : what did she ask ? 

Verse 15. 13. Jesus gave a new direction to the conversation: what 

did he tell her to do? Verse 16. 2 14. She answered with a half con¬ 
fession : what did she say? Verse 17. 15. How did the reply of Jesus 

show her that he knew all about her and could read her very heart? 
Verses 17,18. 1G. How did the woman show that Jesus had touched 

her conscience ? Verse 19. 17. But she was still more disposed to talk 
and to argue than to pray or to receive instruction: how did she try to 
direct our Lord’s attention from herself? Verse 20. 3 18. What did 

Jesus tell the woman concerning the true worship of God in gospel 
times? Verse 21. 19. How did Jesus further snow her ignorance? 

Verse 22. 20. What is meant by “ salvation is of the Jews?” That 

the Saviour was born of a Jewish mother, according to prophecy. 
21. How did Jesus describe the true worshipers of God? Verse 23. 




JACOB’S WELL 




No. 1 
















































































































































































































































































JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


23 


22. What is God? Verse 24, first part. 23. How may God be wor¬ 
shiped acceptably? Same verse. (Mere lip-service will not do; there 
is no worship where there is no heart.) 24. What answer did the half- 
awakened woman make to all these things ? Verse 25. (The Samari¬ 
tans might learn this much from their Jewish neighbors and from the 
Pentateuch which they had.) 25. How did Jesus reveal his true char¬ 
acter ? Verse 26. 


1 Drawing water from such a depth (it must have been at least one hundred feet 
then, for though much filled with rubbish it was seventy feet deep in 1S66) as Jacob’s 
well was a serious business. 

2 Jesus said this to let her know that he was acquainted with her character and 
history, to check her frivolity, convince her of sin, and thus effectually to comply 
with her blind request, (verse 15.) as a conviction of sin is a prerequisite to the im- 
partation of spiritual life. —Summers. 

3 Her remark (verse 20) probably refers to what is recorded Gen. xii, 6, 7; xxxiii, 
19. 20. But, as an old writer says, “In matters of religion and faith no one should 
appeal to fathers or ancestry, unless their doctrine be first formed from the word of 
God. . . . Prayer and worship depend not on time, place, posture, bending of knees 
or folding of hands, but upon spirit and truth.” When we pray to the Father in 
Jesus’ name one place is as holy and as near to heaven as another. 


LESSON XV. 

TWO DAYS WITH THE SAMARITANS—JESUS HEALS A 
NOBLEMAN’S SON. John iv, 27-54. 


Reading Lesson: John iv, 27-54. 

LESSON 

Sow in the morn thy seed; 

At eve hold not thy hand; 

To doubt and fear give thou no heed,— 
Broad-cast it o’er the land. 


Golden Text: Gal. vi, 9. 

HYMN. 

Thou canst not toil in vain: 

Cold, heat, and moist, and dry, 

Shall foster and mature the grain 
For garners in the sky. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. Recall what we learned last Sunday: Jesus at Jacob’s well, the 
woman of Samaria, Jesus telling her all about herself, the living water, 
the true worship. 2. What is said of the disciples when they re¬ 
turned and found him talking with the woman? 1 Verse 27. 3. What 

did the woman do? Verse 28. 4. Why did she leave her water-pot 

behind ? 5. What did she say to the men of Sychar as she met them ? 2 

Verse 29. 6. What influence did her words have? Verse 30. (There 
was power in her earnestness and influence in her character.) 7. As 
she was going away what did the disciples do? Verse 31. 8. What 

did Jesus answer to their invitation to dine? Verse 32. 9. They mis¬ 

understood him; what did they inquire of each other? Verse 33. 

10. How did Jesus explain his misunderstood words? Verse 34. 

11. 'What did Jesus say to them of his great work of saving the souls 

of men? Verses 35, 36. (Explain this beautiful illustration of spiritual 

sowing and reaping.') 12. What saying is often fulfilled in those who 
try to do good? 'Verse 37. (If we try to do good, although we may 
not live to see the result, the “harvest” is sure.) 13. What did he 
say to his disciples of their work ? Verse 38. (He did the toil of which 
the Church reaps the harvest.) 14. What induced many of the Samar¬ 
itans to believe? Verse 39. 15. What did they beg him to do, and 

what was the result of his preaching in Sychar? Verses 40, 41. 
16. What did thev say to the woman alter hearing him? Verse 42. 

No. 1. 





24 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

(Very different treatment he received among his old friends and neigh¬ 
bors in Nazareth. See Luke iv, 28, 29.) 17 . Where did Jesus go after 

leaving Sychar? Verse 43. (Galilee, north of Samaria.) 18 . John 
wrote his gospel after Luke; verse 44 seems to refer to the treatment 
Jesus received in Nazareth and other places from his own people. 
19. How was Jesus at first received by some of the Galileans ? Verse 46. 
(The last clause of this verse shows which Galileans received him and 
why.) 20 . What did a nobleman of Capernaum do while Jesus was 
spending a short time at Cana? Verses 46, 47. (The towns were about 
fifteen miles apart.) 21 . What did Jesus first say to the nobleman? 
Verse 48. 22 . How did the father show his faith and earnestness? and 
how did Jesus acknowledge and reward his faith? Verses 49, 50. 

23 . What good news met the father on his way home? Verse 51. 

24 . Why did the father ask the question recorded in verse 52? 

25 . What resulted from this miracle? Verse 53. 26 . What does 

St. John say of this miracle? Verse 54. 

1 While their reverence forbade impertinent questions, they were surprised and 
perplexed to find Jesus talking with a woman, particularly a Samaritan woman. 
It was contrary to rabbinical notions of propriety; it was a saying of a noted rabbi, 
“No man salutes a woman.” Another said, “ He who instructs his daughter in the 
law is as one who plays the fool.” Tholttck says, “According to Jewish rabbinical 
ideas, the female sex was regarded as incapable of religious instruction.” Undoubt¬ 
edly, woman owes the grand place she holds in Christian civilization to the teaching 
and, above all, to the example and spirit of Jesus. 

2 His words awakened her conscience, which soon told her all the rest.—W esley. 


LESSON XVI. 


JESUS IN THE SYNAGOGUE AT NAZAKETH—REJECTED 
BY HIS OWN TOWNSMEN. Luke iv, 14-32. 


Reading Lesson : Isa. lxi. 


Golden Text: Luke iv, 18, 19. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Blow ye the trumpet, blow. 

The gladly-solemn sound; 

Let all the nations know, 

To earth’s remotest bound, 

The year of jubilee is come; 

Return, ye ransom’d sinners, home. 


Ye who have sold for naught 
Your heritage above, 

Receive it back unbought, 

The gift of Jesus’ love; 

The year of jubilee is come; 

Return, ye ransom’d sinners, home. 

amp' 



No. 1. 


Form of a Synagogue Roll. 










































JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


25 


QUESTIONS. 

1. V hat does St. Luke say of the return of Jesus from Judea into 
Galilee? Verse 14. 2. What did Jesus do, and how was he at first 

received? Verse 15. 3. What town did he visit in the course of this 

preaching tour through Galilee? Verse 16, first part. (Compare Matt. 
ii, 23.) 4. What did he do on the Sabbath-day ? Same verse. (Syna¬ 
gogue. 1 5. What book, or roll, of the Scriptures was handed to him? 
Verse 17. 2 6 . What lesson, or text, did Jesus select ? Isa. Ixi, 1. 

7. V hat was written there? Verses 18,19. (Teacher will explain these 
terms. Verse 19 refers to the year of juDilee. See Lev. xxv.) 8. What 
did Jesus do when he had finished reading? Verse 20, first part. (See 
note 2.) 9. Did Jesus have the attention of his hearers? Same verse. 
(They were his neighbors ; they all knew him; this was his first sermon 
there.) 10. How did Jesus begin his sermon? Verse 21. (No doubt 
Jesus then told the people how the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled in 
him, though St. Luke has only given us, at this point, his first words.) 
11. How did the people listen to what followed these words? Verse 
22, first part. (The sermon proper is not given ; it came between what 
is in verse 21 and in verse 23. 12. How did they express their sur¬ 

prise ? Same verse. (This is half wonder and half contemptuous in¬ 
credulity.) 13. Jesus answered their thoughts rather than their words ; 
what did he represent them as saying to him? Verse 23. (The refer¬ 
ence is to the healing of the nobleman’s son. John iv, 46-54.) 14. What 

did he say of the treatment prophets received in their own country ? 
Verse 24. 3 15. How did the history of Elijah—here called Elias—illus¬ 

trate what he had said in verse 24? Verses 25, 26. (See 1 Kings 
xvii, 9.) 16. What other case from Old Testament history did Jesus 

bring up? Verse 27. (2 Kings v; vii, 3.) 4 5 17. What elfect followed 

our Lord’s plain words, which showed up so clearly their bitter preju¬ 
dices? Verse 28. 18. What did they do? Verse 29, first part. 

19. What did they design doing? Same verse. 6 20. What is said of 
Jesus in the midst of all this uproar? Verse 30. (Teacher may com¬ 
pare John viii, 59 ; xviii, 6.) 21. To what place did Jesus go when he 

left Nazareth? Verse 31. 22. What is said of those who heard him 
preach there ? Verse 32. 


1 Si/v<igo(/ue, from m, together, and ogn, I bring; hence it means a place oi 

public assemblies. Verse 16 shows what had been the habit of Jesus while a resi¬ 
dent of Nazareth: He attended the synagogue services on Sabbath. The Scriptures 
were written on rolls of parchment; these were fastened to two rollers with handles. 
They read from right to left, rolling off with the left hand, and on with the right. 

3 When any one stood up, signifying his desire to read the lesson for the day, hav¬ 
ing been called upon or recognized by the chief of the congregation, the c/msnv, 
minister or servant, (verse 20,) handed him the roll, which was taken out of the 
roll-chest with great reverence.— Summers. They often sat to expound, but always 
stood to read, the Scriptures. 

3 Wiiitby paraphrases verse 24 thus: “No prophet is (so well) accepted in his 
own country (as elsewhere, they finding exceptions either against him for his parent¬ 
age, verse 22; or his kindred, Mark vi, 3, 4; or his habitation, John i, 56; or his 
country, John vii, 52.”) 

4 Jesus never worked miracles on demand, or to gratify idle curiosity. He could 
do nothing for those who insisted on seeing in order to believe.— Neander. Our 
Lord brings forward instances where the two greatest prophets in Israel were not 
directed to act in accordance with the proverb, “Physician, heal thyself;” but their 
miraculous powers were exerted on those who were strangers.— Alford. 

5 Commenting on their fickleness, Van Oosterzee says : “Not at Rome alone did 
the Capitoline bonier hard on the Tarpeian rock.” 

No. 1. 



26 JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


LESSON XVII. 


A SABBATH-DAY IN CAPERNAUM—Lukeiv, 31-44; 
Mark i, 21-39; Matt, viii, 14-17. 


Reading Lesson : Isa. lix. Golden Text: Heb. vii, 25. 

LESSON HYMN. 


Jesus, if still thou art to-day, 
As yesterday, the same, 
Present to heal, in me display 
The virtue of thy name! 


If still thou go’st about to do 
Thy needy creatures good, 

On me, that I thy praise may show, 
Be all thy wonders show’d. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. Tell wliat you can of last Sunday’s lesson—the preaching of Jesus 
at Nazareth, and his treatment by the Nazarenes. 2. Where did Jesus 
go on leaving Nazareth, 1 and what did he do on the Sabbath-days ? Luke 
iv, 31. 3. What was the impression first produced by his preaching in 

Capernaum? Luke iv, 32. 4. Our lesson to-day is chiefly about the 

preaching and work of one Sabbath in Capernaum: who was present 
with the congregation on that occasion ? Luke iv, 33. 5. What do w^e 

call such a man as is here described ? A demoniac. 6 . What does this 
mean? A man under the control of an evil spirit. 7. What did this 
possessed man do ? Luke iv, 33, 34. (Mark i, 23, 24.) 8. It w r as the 

evil spirit that cried out “ Let us alone,” etc.: what did Jesus do and say 
to the evil spirit? 2 3 Luke iv, 35. 9. What followed our Lord’s com¬ 
mand to this evil spirit? Same verse. (Mark i, 25, 26.) 10. What did 

the people think and say who heard and saw these strange things ? 
Luke iv, 36. 11. Were these things kept secret ? Luke iv, 37. (Mark 

i, 27, 28.) 12. What did this miracle show ? The power and compas¬ 

sion of Jesus. 13. What can Jesus now do for us? Drive out of us all 
sinful dispositions. 14. Where did Jesus go from the synagogue ? Luke 
iv, 38. 15. Who went with Jesus? Mark i, 29. (Andrew, it seems, 

lived with Peter.) 1G. Who was sick at Peter’s house? Mark i, 30. 
17. What did Jesus do? Mark i, 31. 18. What took place at once? 

Same verse. 19. What proof did Peter’s mother-in-law give that she 
was perfectly restored ? 20. Now compare carefully Matt, viii, 14, 15 ; 

Mark i, 29-31; Luke iv, 38, 39 : what do you learn from one account that 
is not in another? 3 21. What took place about sunset that Sabbath 
evening? Mark i, 32, 33. 22. What did Jesus do for these afflicted 

people ? Mark i, 34. (Luke iv, 40, 41.) 23. What prophecy was ful¬ 
filled by these miracles of mercy ? Matt, viii, 17. 24. What did Jesus 

do the next morning before day ? Mark i, 35. 25. What is said of the 

people next morning ? Luke iv, 42. (Mark i, 36, 37.) 20. Why would 
not Jesus spend more time at Capernaum then ? Mark i, 33. 27. What 
did Jesus do? Mark i, 39. (Luke iv, 43, 44.) 


1 Luke says, “came down to Capernaum”—Nazareth being in the highlands, 
Capernaum on the lake shore. After this, Capernaum, more than any other town, 
was our Lord's place of residence, partly, perhaps, because it was convenient, partly, 
perhaps, because Peter, with whom Jesus seems to have lived, had his residence here. 

2 Jesus would not receive testimony to his claims as Messiah from such a source. 
Neither did his apostles afterward. Compare Acts xvi, 16-18. 

3 He is immediately informed; goes at once from the synagogue; they brought Jesus 
to her room ; he stood over her; touched her hand, rebuked the fever, and took her 
by the hand and lifted her up. lie usually made some physical sign in such cases, 
suitable to the miracle he wrought, thus connecting the miracle-working power with 
himself, and eliciting the faith of the afflicted persons. See Mark i, 41. 

N<. i. 





CAPERNAUM.—RUINS AT TELL HUM. 


No. 1 



































































































I 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


29 


LESSON XVIII. 


SERMON ON THE MOUNT-THE BEATITUDES. 
Matt, v, 1-12. 

Reading Lesson: Psa. xxxvii, 1-29. Golden Text: Matt, v, 6. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Holy Lamb, who thee confess, 
Followers of thy holiness, 

Thee they ever keep in view, 
Ever ask, “What shall we do?” 


Govern’d by thy only will, 

All thy words we would fulfill, 
Would in all thy footsteps go, 
Walk as Jesus walk’d below. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. In what region did Jesus preach after the events mentioned in last 
Sunday’s lesson? See Matt, iv, 23. 2. What did he do? Same verse. 
3. What impression was made by his preaching and miracles? Matt, 
iv, 24. 1 4. What did Jesus do, upon one occasion, when a great multi¬ 
tude of these people were about him ? Verse l. 2 (The Jewish teachers 
sat when they taught; the “ disciples ” were grouped around him; then 
came the people.) 5. What is said in verse 2? (Verse 2 indicates that 
this was a solemn, set discourse.) 6. What is all that is included in 
chapters v, vi, ana vii generally called? Our “Lord’s Sermon on the 
Mount.” 7. How does Jesus begin his sermon? Verse 3. (Kingdom of 
heaven.) 8. Who are the truly “poor in spirit?” Those who deeply feel 
the ruin wrought by their sins and their need of a Saviour. 9. What is 
said of those who truly mourn on account of their sins ? Verse 4. (There is 
no real comfort without pardon.) 10. What blessing awaits the meek, 
those who truly submit to Christ to learn and obey his will? Verse 5. 3 

11. What does Jesus promise to those who hunger and thirst after 
righteousness ? Verse 6. (Righteousness, hunger, and thirst—be filled.) 

12. What is promised to the merciful? Verse 7. 13. Who shall see 

God? Verse 8. (Only the pure in heart can see God—that is, know 
him.) 14. What does Jesus say of peace-makers ? Verse 9. (Christ is 
the great peace-maker; peace-makers are like him who is their “ elder 
brother;” they, too, are called “children of God.”) 15. What is prom¬ 
ised to those who endure persecution for Jesus’ sake? Verse 10. 
16. What is said of those who are defamed in character for his sake? 
Verse 11. 17. What cheering words does Jesus say to his persecuted 

K le? Verse 12, first part. 18. Into what noble company do their 
rings introduce them ? Same verse, second part. (Compare 1 Kings 
xix, 2, 10; 2 Chron. xxxvi, 16; Neh. ix, 26; Dan. vi; Acts vii. 54-60; 
2 Cor. xi, 24^27; Heb. xi, 33-38.) 19. Who, of all, has been the chier 
sufferer for righteousness’ sake? Our Lord Jesus himself. 20. Can 
you now repeat, accurately , verses 3-12 ? 


1 Decapolis, as the name imports, (the ten cities,) was the general name of a can¬ 
ton, or confederation, of ten cities. 

2 It was probably some hill near Capernaum. Tradition is utterly worthless in 
identifying the very place. Superstition has made a bad use of the very few places, 
connected with the gospel history, that are supposed to be known. 

3 The man who realizes his sinfulness is “poor in spirit;” he “mourns” the sins 
that make him poor in spirit. Therefore he is humble,submissive —teachable in 
the school of Christ. He is ready to “learn” of Christ who “is meek and lowly in 
heart.” Such a man, and no other, will “inherit the landnot riches nor power in 
this world, but all the blessings that the Gospel brings to man, for this life and for 
that which is to come. 

No. l. 




30 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


LESSON XIX. 


OUR LORD’S SERMON ON THE M0UNT.-(0ontinued.) 
Matt, v, 13-20. 

Reading Lesson: Phil, ii, 1-16. Golden Text: John xv, 8. 

LESSON HYMN. 


Light of life, seraphic fire, 

Love Divine, thyself impart; 
Every fainting soul inspire, 

Sliifae in every drooping heart: 


Every mournful sinner cheer; 

Scatter all our guilty gloom; 
Son of God, appear! appear! 
To thy human temples come. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. In our lesson to-day Jesus begins to describe tbe relations of 
Christians to the world: to what does he first compare them? Verse 13, 
first part. 2. What is salt useful for? 3. What is it necessary for? 

4. What is meant by comparing Christians to salt? That as salt pre¬ 
vents putrefaction, Christianity saves the world from utter corruption. 

5. What question does Jesus ask about the salt? Verse 13. 6. What 

is said of salt that has lost its saltness? 1 2 Same verse. 7. To what 
does Jesus next compare all his true disciples? Verse 14, first part. 
8. From whom do Christians get all the light that is in them? From 
Jesus, “the Sun of righteousness,” “the true Light that lighteth every 
man.” 9. What is said of a city set upon a hill ? Same verse. 10. How 
are true Christians like a city set upon a hill ? True religion is as cer¬ 
tain to show itself as is a city built on a hill. 11. Why do men light 
candles? Verse 15. 12. XVhat good will it do to cover a lighted 

candle with a bushel measure ? (A man trying to hide real religion does 
this.) 13. What should Christians do with their light? Verse 16, first 
part. 14. Why should they let their light shine? Same verse. 15. In 
what way may we let our light shine ? 16. What are “ good works ? ” 

17. God is here called “ Father in heaven:” how may we truly honor 
him as our Father? By cheerful obedience to all his commandments. 
(Compare John xv, 8.) 18. Some of the people misunderstood the 

purpose of Jesus: what did he not come into the world to do? Verse 17. 
19. What had he come to do? Same verse. 20. What did he say 
about the fulfillment of every thing in the law ? Verse 18. 2 21. What 
does Jesus say of the man who shall break the least commandment and 
teach men to do likewise? Verse 19, first part. 22. What of the man 
who tries to keep all the commandments ana to persuade others to do so? 
Same verse. 3 23. What does Jesus say of the righteousness of his 
people? Verse 20. (Righteousness—scribes, Pharisees.) 


1 In the Valley of Salt, near Gebul, about four hours 1 ride from Aleppo, Maun- 
drell, a traveler, found saltless salt. In one place where some rock-salt had been 
exposed to rain, and sun, and air, it retained the grain and the sparkle, but not the 
savor. No process known to art can restore the saltness to the salt that has lost it. 
The figure shows how utterly unchristianized are those who have lost their religion: 
yet we must not push the illustration so far as to deny repentance and restoration 
to apostates. For, as Summers says, “ He who first made the mineral can, indeed, 
impart to it afresh its saline property; so degenerate Christians can be restored by his 
grace if they will avail themselves of it.” N eander says, “ These words of his declare 
the fate of Christianity whenever it degenerates into dead forms and outward show. 
History affords the fullest and saddest commentary upon this prophetic passage.” 

2 The jot is the letter yod (i), the smallest in the Hebrew alphabet; the tittle 
is the small point by which two very similar letters are distinguished — thus 
retch (“]) and daleth (“j) are distinguished from each other. 

3 To violate purposely the least of God’s laws is sinful; to teach men to do so is 
exceeding sinful. This verse demands obedience in all things, small as well as great, 
from a spirit of thorough loyalty to Christ Jesus. 




JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


31 


LESSON XX. 


OTJR LORD’S SERMON ON THE MOUNT-(Oontinued.) 
Matt, y, 21-48. 


Reading Lesson : Rom. xii. 


Golden Text: Rom. xii, 2. 


LESSON HYMN. 


The thing my God doth hate, 
That I no more may do, 

Thy creature, Lord, again create, 
And all my soul renew: 


My soul shall then, like thine, 
Abhor the thing unclean, 
And, sanctified by love divine, 
For ever cease from sin. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What did Jesus say he had come to fulfill? Yerse 17, last lesson. 
2. Jesus now explains the true spirit and meaning of the command¬ 
ments: what commandment does he quote? The sixth. 3. What had 
the Jewish teachers said of this commandment? Yerse 21. 1 4. But who 
besides the killer is in danger, according to Christ’s doctrine? Yerse 22. 
5. What is the doctrine of this saying of Christ’s ? That hatred is mur¬ 
der in the heart. G. What does Jesus say about reconciling differences 
between brethren? Verses 23, 24. 2 (Those who wont make friends 
have not the spirit of Christ.) 7. How does Jesus illustrate the impor¬ 
tance of the speedy settlement of all troubles? Verses 25, 26. 3 8. Jesus 
next explains the seventh commandment: what is it? “ Thou shalt not 
commit adultery.” 9. What comment does Jesus make upon the true 
meaning of this commandment? Verse 28. 10. What do these words 

teach us ? That impure thoughts lead to impure deeds, and that they, as 
well as the deeds, are sinful. 11. What does Jesus say of right eyes 
and right hands that offend—that is, lead us into sin ? Verses 29, 30. 
12. What do these verses teach us? That we must give up any thing, 
no matter how prized, that leads us into sin. {Teacher may illustrate and 
enforce this pnnciple.) 13. What does Jesus next teach? The true doc¬ 
trine of divorce. 14. What does Jesus say the true doctrine of divorce 
is? Verses 31, 32. 15. What subject does Jesus next explain? The 

doctrine of oaths. 16. What had been said of old time? Verse 33. 
(Forswear.) 17. What does Jesus say about various forms of swearing 
that were common in that day ? Verses 34-36. {Teacher should explain 
these verses.) 18. What should we learn? The sinfulness and folly of 
profane swearing. (Jesus does not refer to oaths before the magistrate.) 
19. How should Christians speak? 4 Verse 37. 20. What saying from 
their old times did Jesus next mention? Verse 38.® 21. What does 
Christ lay down as the true rule for his people? Verse 39. (Christians 
must not oppose violence with violence. Kom. xii, 18-21.) _ 22. How 
does Jesus further illustrate the peaceable spirit that Christians should 
show? Verses 40, 41. 23. What does he sav of lending? Verse 42. 

(We should not always wait to be asked; real need is itself an asking. 
The professional beggar cannot quote this text in his demands upon the 
industrious.) 24. What other saying “by them of old time” does Je¬ 
sus bring forward? Verse 43. (The first part is in the Bible, Lev. 
xix, 18: the second the Pharisees added—it is the doctrine of Satan.) 

25. What docs Jesus say about our enemies? Verse 44, first part. 

26. What if they hate us and abuse us ? Same verse, second part. 
^7. Why should we strive to obey this great law ? Verse 45. 28. What; 

No. l. ‘ 0 



32 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


docs he ask of those who only love their friends and salute their breth¬ 
ren ? Verses 46, 47. (Publicans.) 29. How does this part of our Lord’s 
sermon close? Verse 48. (The words “even as,” verse 48, do not sig¬ 
nify equality, but resemblance.) 


1 The “judgment,'’ verse 21, refers to a Jewish court composed of twenty-three 
men; the “council,” verse 22, refers to the great Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish 
court, composed of seventy-two men; “hell-fire,” verse 22, refers to the “Valley of 
Hinnom,” a place infamous as the spot where children were once burned to death to 
Moloch, (2 Chron. xxxiii, 6.) The corpses of malefactors were cast into it, and all 
polluting tilings. Fires were kept perpetually burning to consume them. 

2 “The altar,” verse 24, does not refer to the Lord’s table. Watson gives the 
sense: “No gifts at the altar are acceptable to God, or available to the worshiper, 
without penitence and charity.” 

3 There must be more in these verses than a mere caution against a quarrelsome 
and litigious spirit. Adam Clarkr applies thus: “Thou art a sinner; God has a 
controversy with thee. There is but a step between thee and death. Now is the ac¬ 
cepted time... .Delay not! Eternity is at hand; and if thou die in thy sins, where 
God is thou shaft never come.” 

4 An old spelling-book says: “ He who swears will lie; he who lies will steal; and 
what bad things will he not do?” 

8 See Exod. xxi, 23-25, for the law of Moses. This law required the punishment 

of injuries by the magistrate, not by the injured party-Quarrelsome persons who 

are always going to law are not Christians. 

-- 


LESSON XXI. 


OUK LOKD’S SEEMOH OS THE MOUNT.-COontinued.) 
Matt. vi. 1-18: 16-18. 


Reading Lesson: Matt, vi, 1-18. 

LESSON 

When, my Saviour, shall I be 
Perfectly resign’d to thee ? 

Poor and vile in my own eyes, 

Only in thy wisdom wise?' 


Golden Text: Matt, vi, 3. 

HYMN. 

Only thee content to know, 
Ignorant of all below? 

Only guided by thy light; 

Only mighty in thy might? 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What does Jesus say of doing good to be seen of men? Verse 1, 
first part. 2. What of the reward of good deeds so done ? Same verse, 
second part. 1 3. What did the hypocrites do? Verse 2, first part. 
4. Why did they take such pains to advertise their good deeds ? Same 
verse. 5. How do some people show the same spirit now ? G. Do such 
people get what they seek? Verse 2, last part. (But they get no other 
reward.) 7. In what spirit should Christians bestow alms and do all 
other good deeds ? Verse 3. 8. What does this mean? 9. Why should 

Christians be thus modest and unpretentious in their good deeds? 
Verse 4. 2 10. How did hypocrites love to pray? Verse 5. 3 11. Why? 

12. Do such persons have any reward? 13. Should Christians display 
their prayerfulness after this fashion ? 14. To whom and in what spirit 

are we to pray if we are to be heard? Verse 6. 4 15. What are Chris¬ 
tians forbidden to do ? Verse 7. 16. Why should we avoid the vanity 

of the hypocrites and the folly of the heathen? Verse 8. 17. Next 

Sunday our lesson will be on our Lord’s prayer, verses 9-13; can you 
repeat it accurately now ? 18. IIow did the hypocrites do when they 

fasted? Verse 16. 19. Did they have any reward? (But not the 

reward of God’s blessing.) 20. How should Christians behave when 

No. 1. 







JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


33 


they fast? Verse 17. 21. Why? Verse 18. 22. What is the great 
lesson we are to learn from the words of Jesus on good works, prayer 
and fasting ? That to please God we must be sincere, and free from all 
affectation in religion. 


1 Bead again verse 20, chapter v. In verses 21-48 of chapter v, our Lord shows 
the true spirit of the Jaws of Moses—so abused and perverted by Pharisaic bosses 
and additions. lie passes with verse 1 of chapter vi from doctrines to practices and 
exposes and condemns all shams and hollow-heartedness. “Fallen Judaism ’’’says 
M iif.don, “gave alms, said prayers, and observed fasts, all for human eyes and ears ” 
Jesus forbids all ostentation and self-seeking in religious duties. 

2 Be not afraid that thy good work will be done so secretly that even God will not 

know it and find it again for its reward. He forgets no work of love. (Heb vi 101 
—Stieu. ' v ’ *' 

3 The Jews usually stood to pray; our Lord’s words are not directed against the 
po.sture, but the spirit, of these hypocrites. Yet our Lord generally kneeled. So 
Paul, see Acts xx, 36: xxi, 5; Eph. iii, 14, etc. So Peter, Acts ix, 40. 

4 “Closet” means any private place. We must not take this in the mere letter. 
There is no charm in praying in a room with the door shut. The truly devout will 
every-where find a closet. Quesnel says: “The heart is the closet to which we 
should retire, and shut the door, even in public prayer.” There is no growth in 
grace without secret prayer. 


LESSON XXII. 


THE LORD’S PRAYER, Matt, vi, 9-15. (Compare Luke xi, 1-4.) 

Reading Lesson: Luke xviii, 1-17. Golden Text: 1 Thess. v, 17. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Our heavenly Father, hear 
The prayer we offer now: 

Thy name"be hallow’d far and near; 
To thee all nations bow. 


* Thy kingdom come; thy will 
On earth be done in love, 
As saints and seraphim fulfill 
Thy perfect law above. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. How did the Pharisees pray? Verse 5. 2. How should Chris¬ 
tians pray? Verse 6. 3. Why do the heathen make many and long 

prayers ? Verse 7. 4. Why should Christians be unlike the heathen in 
their prayers? Verse 8. 1 5. Jesus gives us here a model prayer: can 

you repeat it accurately? (Ask each one in turn.) 6. How does the 
prayer begin? Verse 9. 7. What do you learn from the first words of 

the prayer? That the great God is our Father. 2 8. What is the first 
petition, and what does it mean ? Verse 9, last part. 9. What is the 
second petition? Verse 10, first part. 10. What is God’s kingdom? 
11. What is meant by its coming in our hearts, and in the world at 
large? 12. What is the third petition ? Verse 10, second part. 3 13. How 
is God’s will done in heaven? Promptly, fully, constantly, cheerfully, 
lovingly. 14. What is the fourth petition? Verse 11. 15. What does 

this teach us ? Our entire dependence upon God. 16. What else? Con¬ 
tentment with what God gives. 4 17. What is the fifth petition? Verse 12. 

18. How are we encouraged to forgive our enemies? Verse 14. 

19. What if we do not forgive them? 5 Verse 15. 20. What is the 

sixth petition? Verse 13, first part. 21. What does this mean? That 
we may be kept from and delivered out of all circumstances and influ¬ 
ences that lead us to sin. 22. What is the doxology of the Lord’s 
praver? Verse 13, second part. 23. What does “Amen” mean? 
So let it be. 

No. 1. 







34 JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


1 We are not to imitate either the Pharisees or the heathen. God is not to be im¬ 
portuned to hear prayer that he may be rid of us; he is our Father, and loves us; he 
is our God, and “knoweth what things we have need of before we ask him.” 

2 A few among many proof-texts of the divine fatherhood: Matt, vi, 9; vii, 11; 
xxvi, 29; John vi, 45; viii, 16-18 ; xiv, 16; xv, 16; xvi, 28; Acts i, 7; Heb. xii, 5-11, etc. 

3 The first and third petitions guard us against worldly notions of God’s kingdom. 
The first three petitions refer to God ; the other three to our own wants. 

4 We must ask only that which is essential to our support, God having promised 
neither luxuries nor superfluities. — Clarke. Under the name of “bread” is doubt¬ 
less comprehended all that is necessary for sustaining nature; and so meat, and drink, 
and clothing.— Wiiitbt. 

5 Give us, 0 Lord, redemption in thy blood, even the forgiveness of sins: as thou 
enablest us freely and fully to forgive every man, so do thou forgive all our tres¬ 
passes !— Wesley. 

-- 


LESSON XXIII. 


OUR LORD’S SERMON ON THE MOUNT.-CContinued.) 
Matt, vi, 19-34. 

Reading Lesson: Eccles. xii. Golden Text: Matt, vi, 33. 


LESSON HYMN. 


My God, my portion, and my love, 
My everlasting all, 

I’ve none but thee in heaven above. 
Or on this earthly ball. 


Let others stretch their arms like seas. 
And grasp in all the shore: 

Grant me the visits of thy face, 

And I desire no more. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What does Jesus say his people must not do ? Verse 19, first part. 1 
2. Wherein is the folly of laying up treasures upon earth ? Same verse, 
second part. (Moth, rust.) * 3. Why is it our highest wisdom to lay 
up treasures in heaven? Verse 20. (Compare 2 Cor. iv, 18: 1 Pet. i, 4.) 
4. What is it to lay up treasures in heaven ? 5. Where will our hearts 
be? Verse 21. 2 6. What does Jesus say of the single eye? Verse 22. 
(The eye and the light; the conscience and God’s truth.) 7. What is 
said of the evil eye—the corrupted conscience? Verse 23. (To the 
blinded eye there is no light; the evil conscience is moral darkness.) 3 
8. Why cannot we serve two masters? Verse 24, first part. 9. What 
can we not do if we serve God ? Same verse. (Mammon, riches, that 
is, whatever worldly interest or pleasure that draws us from God.) 
10. How does Jesus guard us against being over-anxious about any 
thing worldly and temporal? Verse 25. 4 11 . How are we taught trust 
in providence by God’s care of the birds ? Verse 26. 12. What is the 

purpose of the question in verse 26 ? 13. How are we shown the folly 

of anxiety about worldly things ? Verse 27. (The folly of fretting.) 

14. What should we learn from God’s care of the flowers ? Verses 28, 29.® 

15. How does Jesus reprove our unbelief from this example? Verse 30. 

16. What lessons of trust and contentment should we learn from these 

illustrations of God’s providence over all his works? Verse 31. 17. If 
we give way to distrust and excessive care are we better than the 
heathen? Verse 32. 18. Why should we not ask the questions con¬ 

tained in verse 31? Verse 32, second part. 19. What is, for all men, 
the first and most important thing to do ? Verse 33, first part. 20. What 
promise encourages us to seek God’s kingdom first ? Same verse, second 
part. 21. How does our lesson conclude to-day? Verse 34. 

i From cautions against the hypocrisy of formalists, the discourse naturally passes 

to the entire dedication of the heart to God , from which all duties of the Chris¬ 

tian should be performed.—A lford. 

No. l. 





JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


85 


2 No man ever went to heaven whose heart was not there before him.— Dr. South. 

8 As to natural sight, every thing depends on a right condition of the eye. If the 
eye be “evil,” blind, or imperfect, there may be light but no clear seeing. The eye 
cannot see without light; there must be the sun as well as the eye. The conscience 
sees nothing without the light—“ the true light which lighteth every man that cometh 
into the world.” 

4 This saying does not condemn thrift and prudence, but excess of care. In the 
old English use, “take thought” was equivalent to anxious and excessive care. 
Thus Siiakspkake (“Julius Cesar”) has it: “Take thought and die for Cesar.” And 
Bacon is cited as saying, “Queen Catharine Parr died of thought? He whose 
“cares of this world” withdraw his heart from the heavenly treasure, “takes 
thought” in the sense of the text. 

5 'I'he flowers, although they bloom for a day and are so frail, are arrayed in match¬ 
less beauty. Man, made in God’s image and the heir of both worlds, is the object 
of God’s especial care. God is his father, and provides for his entire existence what¬ 
ever is needful and good for him. 




LESSON XX8V. 


OUR LORD’S SERMON ON THE MOUNT .-(Continued.) 
Matt, vii, 1-12. 

Reading Lesson: 1 Cor. xiii. Golden Text: Matt, vii, 12. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Loving Jesus, gentle Lamb, 

In thy gracious hands I am; 
Make me, Saviour, what thou art, 
Live thyself within my heart. 


I shall then show forth thy praise, 
Serve thee all my happy days, 
Then the world shall always see 
Christ, the holy Child, in me. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What does Jesus forbid in the first verse of our lesson to-day? 
2. What does this mean? That we must not judge people hastily and 
uncharitably. 3. What shall happen to those who so judge their fellow- 
men? Verse 2. (The measure you mete.) 4. What is said, verse 3, 
to show how foolish and wicked hasty and uncharitable judgments 
are? 5. How' is this folly and sin further shown? Verse 4. 6. What 

is said, verse 5, to all uncharitable hypocrites ? 1 7. What are Christians 

cautioned not to do? Verse 6, 2 first part. 8. Why? Same verse. 
9. Our Saviour now instructs us on the subject of prayer, and encour¬ 
ages us to pray ; what does he tell us to do ? and what does he promise ? 
Verse 7. (Three earnest words: ask, seek, knock.) 10 . Ilow is this 
said in a different way, to make us sure of an answer to our prayers ? 
11. How is praying like asking, seeking, knocking ? 12. When peo¬ 

ple lose precious things they seek very earnestly; now should we seek 
God’s blessing? (Compare Luke xv, 3-11.) 13. Our Saviour now en¬ 
courages us to pray; with w'hat words? Verse 9. 14. What else in 

the same line of illustration? Verse 10. (There are wicked fathers, 
yet none so mean as to give a stone for bread, a serpent for a fish.) 
15. What question does Jesus now ask to make us sure that our Father 
in heaven will bless us? Verse 11. 16. “How much more?” By so 

much as God is greater, wiser, better than any earthly father. (Compare 
Luke xi, 13.) 17. What does Jesus say, in another place, (John 

xvi, 23,) to encourage us to pray ? “ Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father 
in my name, he will give it you.” 18. What is the sum of our neigh¬ 
borly duties? Verse 12. 19. What has this sentence been called? 

“The golden rule.” 20. Can you repeat it exactly? 21. What does 
it forbid? Doing any evil to our neighbor. 22. What does it com- 

No. 1. 




86 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


mand? Doing him all the good we can. 23. What is said in another 
place (Matt, xxii, 39) on this subject? “Thou shalt love thy neighbor 
as thyself.” 24. How can we live up to this golden rule? By the help 
of the Holy Spirit. 25. How can we secure this help ? By earnest 
prayer. (Read again Luke xi, 13.) 

1 The mote is a small splinter, and the beam is a whole rafter.— Wiiedon Sttkr 
hits the exact sense: “But what is the beam? Just what thou nowactest; thine 
incompetent, hasty, uncharitable, assuming judgment, is this beam.” Thus: a per¬ 
son might be named who refused lodging to a preacher because he did not .share ! 
Charity is a great grace; uncharity a great sin. He who, forgetting his own sins, 
delights in uncharitably jacking at his brother’s faults, is a hypocrite. We are not 
to be blind to our brother’s faults, only we must clear our own eyes, that we may 
see how to remove them. Gal. vi, 1, describes the spirit in which a Christian should 
undertake to cuie the “ fault” of “a brother.” 

2 Here we meet the other extreme—too much severity and too much laxity. We 
are to refrain from judging without knowledge, love, or necessity; yet a dog is to 
be accounted a dog, and a swine a swine.— Bkngel. It would be a sad abuse of 
verses 1-5 to be as tolerant of falsehood as of truth. It would contradict the proph¬ 
ets, (Isa. v, 20; Ezek. xiii, 10,) and condemn Jesus himself, (Matt, xxiii, 14-38.) 
Verse 20 lays down the rule by which Christians are to make up necessary judg¬ 
ments on others: “ By their fruits ye shall know them.” 




LESSON XXV. 


OUR LORD’S SERMON ON THE M0UNT.-(0oncliided.) 

Matt, vii, 13-29. 

Heading Lesson: Matt. vii. Golden Text: Eeeles. xii, 13. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Jesus, lover of my soul, 

Let me to thy bosom fly, 

While the nearer waters roll, 
While the tempest still is high; 


Hide me, O niv Saviour, hide, 
Till the storm of life be past; 
Safe into the haven guide, 

0 receive my soul at last! 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What is said, verse 13, of the strait gate? (Strait means narrow.) 

2. What is said of the wide gate and the broad way of sin ? Same verse. 

3. What more is said of the strait gate and the narrow way? Verse 14. 1 

4. Since all may be saved, why are any lost ? They do not find the way 

because they do not seek it aright. (Compare Luke xiii, 24; John iii, 
19, 20, and 2 Cor. iv, 3, 4.) 5. Of whom must Christians beware? 

Verse 15. 6 . How do they come, and what are they? Same verse. 

(False prophets, who tell of an easy way to heaven, or some other way 
than Christ’s.) 7. How may we certainly know these false prophets ? 

Verse 16. 8. How will a good tree show its goodness? Verse 17, first 

part. 9. How will a bad tree show its badness ? Same verse. (A good 
life comes from a good heart; a bad life from a bad heart.) 10. What 
cannot be ? Verse 18. (The heart must be good if the life is good. See 
John iii, 3, 5, 6.) 11. What is done with bad trees? Verse 19. 2 

12. What must be the fate of such as w r ill not come to Christ that they 
may become good? 13. What is the certain test of real character? 
Verse 20. 14. Who alone will be saved? Verse 21. 15. What does 

this verse mean? That a mere profession of religion cannot save the 
soul. 16. Who alone lias religion? Verse 21, second part. 17. How 

Ny. ). 





37 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

will tlie hypocrite’s hope be disappointed? Verses 22, 23. 3 18. What 

does Jesus say of the man who hears, and doe*, his commandments? 
Verse 24. 19. How was the foundation of the wise man’s house tried 

and tested? Verse 25. 20. Hid it fall? 21. Why not? 22. What 
does Jesus say of the man who hears, but will not do, his words? 
Verse 23. 23. Hid the foundation of the foolish man’s house suffer any 

trial of its strength ? Verse 27. 24. With what result? 25. Why did 
it fall? 26. What sort of a fall was it? 4 27. What did the people 
think of Christ’s preaching? Verses 28, 29. 28. Are you building on 

the rock, or on the sand? 


1 Why is the way of destruction so broad and easy, and the way of life so narrow 
and difficult? Because our fallen nature is set against the principles and practice of 
that life of holiness that is set forth in the sermon. Truly, “the carnal mind is en¬ 
mity against God.” The straitness is not in any lack of God’s plan of salvation; the 
Gospel can save every man as easily as one man. Nor is the life of religion itself 
cramped and meager. Far from it; here is the only true peace and real joy. “Her 
ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.” Prov. iii, 17. 

2 How dreadful, then, is the condition of that teacher who hath brought no sinners 
to God.—W F.SLEY. 

3 The doom of the hypocritical prophets introduces the doom of all hypocrites, and 
brings on the solemn close of the whole, in which the hypocrite and the true disciple 
are parabolically compared.— Alfokd. No high professions, no baptismal ordi¬ 
nances, no church-membership, no ministerial garb, no pulpit popularity, not even 
revivals under our labors, are sure tests of our acceptance at the iiual judgment.— 
W HEPON. 

4 It was a “great fall” in three particulars: It fell at the xcrona time —when it 
was most needed; it was too late to build another; it carried down a human soul. 

-- — 

LESSON XXVI. 

REVIEW LESSON. 


Reading Lesson : Matt, v, 1-20. Golden Text: Matt, vii, 20. 

(Read carefully, during the week, the text of the different lessons, and be prepared 
for any question's the superintendent or pastor or teacher may ask.) 

LESSON HYMN. 

Jesus, take all the glory: I Thee gladly we acknowledge 

Thy meritorious passion | Our only Lord and Saviour, 

The pardon bought, Thy mercy brought i Thy name confess, Thy goodness bless, 
To us the great salvation. I And triumph in thy favor. 

THE OUTLINE. 

XIV. Jems at Jacob's Well. John iv, 1-26.—Jesus goes into Galilee, (1-4.) 
—He asked water of the woman of Samaria, (6-9.) The living water, 
(10-15.) The woman’s conscience awakened, (16-19.) The true worship 
of God, (20-24.) Jesus reveals himself as the Christ, (25, 26.) 

XV. Two Days with the Samaritans. Jesus Heals a Nobleman?s Son. 
John iv, 27-54. The water-pot left, (28-30.) The principle of the spir¬ 
itual harvest, (31-38.) Preaching to the Samaritans, (39-43.) The 
nobleman’s son healed, (43-54.) 

XVI. Jems in the Synagogue at Nazareth—Rejected by his own Townsmen. 
Luke iv, 14-32.—The occasion and the text of Christ’s sermon, (14-19.) 
The sermon itself, (20-27.) The Nazarenes reject him and seek to slay 
him, (28-32.) 

1 . ‘ 





38 JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

XVII. A Sabbath-day in Capernaum. Luke iv, 31-44; Mark i, 21-39; 
Matt, viii, 14-17.—Preaching in Capernaum, (Mark i, 21, 22.) Jesus 
casts out a devil from one possessed, (Mark i, 23-28.) Heals Peter’s 
wife’s mother, (Mark i, 29-31.) Heals the sick multitudes, (Mark i, 32-34.) 

XVIII. The Sermon on. the Mount. Matt, v, 1-12.—The occasion, (1-2.) 
The beatitudes. The “poor in spirit;” “they that mourn;” “the 
meek;” “hunger and thirst after righteousness ;” “the merciful; ” 
“ the pure in heart; ” “ the peacemakers ; ” “ perecuted for righteous¬ 
ness’ sake,” etc. 

XIX. The Sermon on the Mount , ( continued .) Matt, v, 13-20.—Chris¬ 
tians as “ salt of the earth,” “light of the world,” and “ cities set upon 
hills.” Christ came to fulfill the whole law. The religion of scribes 
and Pharisees defective. 

XX. The Sermon on the Mount 3 ( continued .) Matt, v, 21-48.—True 
meaning of the sixth and seventh commandments, (21-30.) The true 
law of divorce, (31, 32.) The law of oaths, (33-37.) The law of retalia¬ 
tion, (38-41.) The law of love and hatred, (42-48.) 

XXI. The Sermon on the Mount , ( continued .) Matt, vi, 1-8; 16-18.— 
Sincerity in alms, (1-4.) Sincerity in prayer, (5-8.) Sincerity in fast¬ 
ing, (16-18.) 

XXII. The Lord’s Prayer , (Matt, vi, 9-15.)—The preface; the six 
petitions; the doxology. 

XXIII. The Sermon on the Mount , (continued .) (Matt, vi, 19-34.)— 
Treasure in heaven, (19-21.) The single eye, (22, 23.) “Ye cannot 
serve God and mammon,” (24.) Trust in God’s providence, (25-32.) 
God’s kingdom first, (33, 34.) 

XXIV. The Sermon on the Mount , (continued .) Matt, vii, 1-12.—On 
judging our brother, (1-6.) Encouragement to prayer, (7-11.) The 
golden rule, (12.) 

XXV. The Semion on the Mount , ( concluded .) (Matt, vii, 13-29.) 
The strait gate and the narrow way, (13, 14.) False prophets, (15-20.) 
The final ruin of the self-deceived, (21, 22.) The final test, (24-27.) 
The authority of Christ’s preaching, (28-29.) 


LESSON XXVII. 

JESUS CLEANSES A MAN PULL OF LEPROSY. Matt, viii, 
1-4; Mark i, 40-45; Luke v, 12-15. 

Reading Lesson: Psa. Ii. Golden Text: Psa. II, 7. 


LESSON HYMN. 


I am all unclean, unclean, 

Thy purity I want; 

My whole heart is sick of sin, 
Xnd my whole head is faint: 


Full of putrefying sores, 

Of bruises, and of wounds, my soul 
Looks to Jesus, help implores, 

And gasps to be made whole. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What did the people think of the sermon on the mount? Matt, 
vii, 28, 29. 2. Who followed Jesus as he came down from the mount¬ 
ain? Matt, viii, 1. 3. Who came to Jesus, and what did he do? 
Matt, viii, 2, first part. 4. How do Mark and Luke express the action 
that is in Matthew called worship? See Luke v, 12; Mark i, 40 41. 

No. I. ’ ’ ’ ’ 




JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


89 


5. Did this man have a bad case of leprosy? Luke v, 12. 6. The 
teacher should give the class some idea of the dreadful disease of which 
this man was “full! ” 1 7. What was one of the characteristics of this 
dreadful disease? It was incurable by man’s art. 8. What did this 
poor man say ? and how did he say it ? Mark i, 40. (He realized his 
helplessness—all depended on Jesus ; if he would not, there w r as no 
hope ; no other could.). 9 . How did the blessed Saviour feel when he 
saw this poor leper lying at his feet? Mark i, 41. (Compassion—this 
is his feeling toward all poor sinners that come to him.) 10 . What did 
Jesus do before answering a word? Same verse. 11 . Why did Jesus 
touch him? To let him know that he was as willing as able to cleanse 
him. 3 12 . What did Jesus say as soon as he touched him? Same 
verse. (It is not simply, I am willing, but “I will”—the language of 
divine authority.) 13 . What was the result? Mark i, 42. (Type of 
the soul-cleansing that Christ works in all who truly come to him.) 
14 . W T hat directions did Jesus give the man? Mark i, 44. 3 15 . The 
grateful man spread the news every-where ; what was the result ? Mark 
i, 45. (See Luke v, 15,16.) 16 . How is leprosy like sin? It is hered¬ 

itary. 17 . How is it further like sin ? It is loathsome. 18 * In what 
else is it like sin? It is incurable by human art. 19 . In what else? 
It ends in death; so does sin. 20 . What should we learn from the ex¬ 
ample of this leper? To go to Jesus—at once and earnestly. 21. How 
does Jesus feel toward penitent sinners? He is “moved with compas¬ 
sion on them.” 22 . What will he do for sinners who truly go to him ? 
He will touch, and cleanse, and save them. 23. What would have 
happened had this man not gone to Jesus? His leprosy would have 
killed him. 24. What might have happened had he then put off going? 
He might never have had another chance. 25. When and how should 
sinners go to Jesus? 26. What if they put it off? 


1 Lev. xiii and xiv describe the disease, and contain the Mosaic* enactments respect¬ 
ing it. Special cases are mentioned, Num xii, 10; 2 Kings v; xv, 5; 2 Chron. xxvi, 
19-21, etc. Of the disease itself, Tkench says: “Leprosy was nothing short of a 
living death, a corrupting of all the humors, a poisoning of the very springs of life; 
a dissolution, little by little, of the whole body, so that one limb after another actually 
decayed and fell away.” We are not to read the Mosaic laws concerning leprosy as 
simply, or chiefly, sanitary. Alford says: “The disease was specially selected as 
being the most loathsome and incurable of all, to represent the effect of the defile¬ 
ment of sin upon the once pure and holy body of man. The leper was the type of 
one dead in sin.” (Compare Num. xix, 6, 13, 18, with Lev. xiv, 4-7.) Trench 
says: “ He was himself a dreadful parable of death. He bore about him the emblems 
of death.” Psa. li, 7, echoes the Mosaic teaching. (Compare Lev. xiv, 4, 6, 49.) 

2 Each evangelist mentions this touch. It was most significant. No other would 
touch him that way. When the man felt the hand, he knew that Jesus was willing. 
It showed him the" heart of Jesus. It strengthened the leper’s faith, and prepared 
his heart to receive the “I will, be thou clean,” which followed the touch. This 
touch symbolizes to us all the relation of Jesus to sinful and suffering humanity. 
He “touches” men. “He himself bare our sicknesses.” It was, according to the 
letter, contrary to the law to touch a leper; it would have defiled another, (Lev. 
xiii, 44- 4 6.) “But,” as Whedon says, “here was a finger which could contract no 
uncleanness; impurity fled from its approach; it purified what it touched.” And 
Christians, if they would do good, must touch men. Elizabeth Fry was not 
defiled by reading the Scriptures to prisoners in Newgate jail. 

3 The reason is obvious: that the priest might pronounce him clean, according to 
his office id such cases, on an unbiased judgment of the facts.— Watson. Bui con¬ 
sistently with this motive, another, as Lange says, “Jesus wished to prevent a 
concourse of the people and enthusiastic outbursts on their part.” The man’s inju¬ 
dicious expressions of gratitude quickly produced the very state of things Jesus 
sought to avoid. Mark i, 45. 

No. l. 



40 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


LESSON XXVIII. 


THE STILLING- OF THE TEMPEST. Matt, viii, 18-27; Mark 
iv, 35-41; Lake viii, 22-25. 

Reading Lesson: Matt, viii, 1-27. Golden Text: Isa. xxvi, 3. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Lord, whom winds and seas obey, 
Guide us through the wat’ry way; 
In the hollow of thy hand 
Hide, and bring us safe to land. 


Jesus, let our faithful mina 
Rest, on thee alone reclined ; 
Every anxious thought repress. 
Keep our souls in perfect peace. 


QUESTIONS. 

1 . What did you learn last Sunday about leprosy? and a certain leper 
who came to Jesus? 2. Jesus had, on one occasion, taught the people 
in many parables : what did he say to his disciples late in the evening ? 1 
Mark iv, 35. (The parables were delivered on the western side of the 
lake of Gennesaret; they now went over to the eastern side.) 3. What 
became of the multitude that listened to the parable? Mark iv, 36. 
4. Who came to Jesus just as they were about to start across the lake? 
Matt viii, 19. 5. What did the scribe say? Same verse. 6. What 

did Jesus answer to his offer to become a disciple ? Matt, viii, 20. 
(Compare Luke ix, 57, 58.) 7. How did Jesus test the scribe’s earnest¬ 
ness? 2 8. What did one of his disciples say to him? Matt, viii, 21. 
9. What answer did Jesus give him? Matt, viii, 22. 3 10. How did 

Jesus enter the boat ? Mark iv, 36. 11 . Was his the only boat? Same 

verse. 12. What happened as they sailed along ? Luke viii, 23. (He 
was weary with the toils of the day.) 13. In what part of the boat was 
Jesus asleep? Mark iv, 38. 4 (Pillow, a boatman’s cushion.) 14. How 
is the storm described by each evangelist? Compare Matt, viii, 24; 
Mark iv, 37; Luke viii, 23. 5 15. What did the disciples do and say 

in awaking Jesus ? Matt, viii, 25 ; Mark iv, 38; Luke viii, 24. 16* What 
did Jesus first do? Matt, viii, 26. (Their want of faith distressed him 
more than the storm did.) 17. What did he do after chiding them for 
their want of faith? Same verse. 18. What did he say when he re¬ 
buked the sea? Mark iv, 39. 19. What followed his words ? Same 

verse. 20. He seems to have reproved their unbelief after as well as 
before stilling the tempest. Compare Matt, viii, 26 and Mark iv, 40. 
2 1 . What effect was produced on the disciples? Mark iv, 41. 22. What 
did the cleansing of the leper show ? Christ’s power over incurable dis¬ 
ease. 23. What does the stilling of the tempest show? His power 
over the uncontrollable forces of nature. 24. What do all his miracles 
prove? That Jesus Christ is God. 25. What besides power do his 
miracles show? Wisdom and love. 20. What can he give to storm- 
tossed hearts ? Perfect peace. 


1 As to the order of events, the stilling of the tempest came first before the heal¬ 
ing of the demoniac in Gadara, and, as most authorities say, just after the parable 
recorded in Matt. xiii. 

2 Perhaps this scribe came to Jesus with unworthy motives—for the sake of the 
‘•loaves and fishes.” Perhaps he had some better spirit, but lacked earnestness and 
depth of conviction. We hear no more of him; he failed under our Lord’s test. 
His ardor seems to have cooled when he saw how poor this “ Son of man ” was, 
who was poorer than the foxes and the birds. 

3 lie seems to have been a disciple in this—he was an attendant on Christ’s 
ministry. But he was called to closer discipleship. Compare Luke ix, 60. Jesus, 
who read his heart, rejected his plea. Stiek says: “This man was in actual danger 
of burying himself again while burying his father.” There is a solemn lesson here 











No. 1. 


LAKE OF GALILEE 



































































































































































































I 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


43 


for us all: “ In cases of collision and critical times of decision” we must decide/or 
Christ at whatever cost. 

4 Macgregor says: “ The stern in ancient ships was much higher than the prow, 
.. .making a safe and sloping place where our Saviour slept in the storm.” 

6 Luke says the “ storm came do ten.'" Macgregor describes a storm on the lake 
of Gennesaret as coming dozen: “ The torrent of heavy, cold air was pouring over 
the mountain crests into the deep cauldron of the lake below—a headlong flood of 
wind—like a water-fall into the hollow.” The lake of Galilee is at the bottom of a 
volcanic basin, six hundred and fifty-three feet below the level of the Mediterranean. 


LESSON XXIX. 


HEALING OF THE DEMONIACS IN THE COUNTKY OF THE 
GADAKENES, Matt, viii, 28-34; Mark v, 1-20; 

Luke viii, 26-39. 

Reading Lesson : Mark v, 1-20. Golden Text: Matt, xxviii, 18. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Cast out thy foes, and let them still 
To Jesus’ name submit: 

Clothe with thy righteousness, and heal, 
And place me at thy feet. 


From sin, the guilt, the power, the pain, 
Thou wilt redeem my soul: 

Lord, I believe, and not in vain: 

My faith shall make me whole. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. Recall last Sunday’s lesson? 2. The little lake was only about 
seven miles wide: into what country did Jesus and his disciples come 
when they had crossed over? Mark v, 1. (See Appendix.) 3. Who 
met Jesus as soon as he landed? Mark v, 2. (Matthew, chap, viii, 28, 
speaks of “ two; ” Mark and Luke mention only one, perhaps the fiercer 
of the two.) 1 4. What was the matter with the man? Verse 3. (Com¬ 
pare Matt, viii, 28, and Luke viii, 27.) 5. Describe the demoniac’s con¬ 
dition and appearance. Compare Matt, viii, 28; Mark v, 2, 3; Luke 
viii, 27. G. Had any succeeded in confining him? Mark v, 3,4. 7. How 
does Mark describe the conduct of this fierce demoniac? Verse 5. 3 
8. What do you learn from Luke viii, 27, not mentioned by the other 
evangelists? 9. What did the demoniac do as soon as he saw Jesus? 
Mark v, 6. (“ Worshiped,” here, means simply that he fell down before 
Jesus.) 10. What did he say to Jesus? Verse 7. (Teacher will com¬ 
pare Matt, viii, 29, and 2 Pet. ii, 4, and Jade 6.) 11. What had Jesus 
said to the demon before he began to cry out? Verse 8. (So Luke 
viii, 29.) 3 12. What did Jesus ask the man? Mark v, 9. 13. What 

did the chief demon, using the man’s tongue, answer? Same verse. 
(Legion.) 14. What did tins demon beg for himself and the other evil 
spirits? Verse 10. 15. What was close by? Verse 11. 16. What 

did all the demons beg of Christ? Verse 12.* 17. What did the de¬ 
mons do when they were driven out of the man? Verse 13. 18. What 

became of the swine at once? Same verse. (The “whole herd” went 
in, Matt, viii, 32.) 19. How many were in the herd? Same verse. 

20. What dia the keepers of the hogs do when they saw what was done ? 
Verse 14. 21. What did the people in the city—the owners of the 

swine, with the crowd, no doubt—do when they heard the news? 22. What 
did they see? Verse 15. (Compare Luke viii, 27.) 23. What effect 
had these things on the minds of the people? 24. Could they have any 
doubts as to how the man was freed from the demons? Verse 16. 
25. What did the Gadarenes, when they understood the whole matter, 

No. 1 




44 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

ask of Jesus? Verse 17. 6 26. How did the man who had been saved 
show his gratitude and love? Verse 18. 27. Why did Jesus decline 

his request? Verse 19. 28. Did the man obey Jesus? Verse 20. (So 

Jesus left one true witness among the Gadarenes.) 


1 This idea is confirmed by the consideration that two demoniacs would not have 
been associated, unless the one had been dependent on the other.— Lange. 

2 Macgkegor (“The Rob Roy on the Jordan 1 ’) discovered several places in this 
region abounding in caves, that might naturally have been used for tombs. 

3 Luke states that Jesus commanded the demons to come out of the man before 
they begged for forbearance; Mark gives the word of command; Matthew’s account 
supposes it. 

4 The demons see that they must go, and so beg that they may, at least, stay awhile 
longer in a country so congenial to their tastes. And, truly, a country that begged 
Jesus to go out of it (Matt, viii, 34) suited them well. Gadara suited them vastly bet¬ 
ter than “the deep,” (Luke viii, 31,) “the bottomless pit,” “hell.” (Rev. ix, 1, 2; xx, 
1, 3, etc.) They will even enter the swine, if they can stay out of “the deep,” and 
near their chosen seat—the country of the Gadarenes. Comparing the three ac¬ 
counts, we find that they had “leave” to “enter the swine.” 

6 The demons were, no doubt, surprised at the turn of affairs: the devil sometimes 
overreaches himself. The demons did not anticipate that their newly-found victims 
would dispossess themselves so summarily. It will not do to say the demons 
drowned the swine to be revenged—the Gadarenes were their friends. There is no 
proof that swine-raising was an illicit business with this people; the Gadarenes 
were not Jews. But they deserve punishment for their avarice. On their blind re¬ 
quest, Stieu says: “ He who does not desire Jesus as he is and as he acts, the Ruler 
of hell, the Lord of nature, the Physician and Healer of men, may beseech him to 
depart, whether courteously or ungraciously, and have his request granted.” 


LESSON XXX. 

JESUS RAISES TO LIFE THE DAUGHTER OF JAIRUS, AND 
HEALS A SICK WOMAN ON THE WAY. Matt, ix, 
18-26 ; Mark v, 21-43 ; Luke viii, 40-56. 

Reading Lesson: Mark v, 21-43. Golden Text: 1 Cor. xv, 2G. 

LESSON HYMN. 

Behold the blind their sight receive 1 1 The dumb speak wonders! and the lame 

Behold the dead awake and live 1 | Leap like the hart, and bless his name 1 

QUESTIONS. 

1. 'What was the subject of last Sunday’s lesson? 2 . Where did 
Jesus go after leaving the country of the Gadarenes? Mark v, 21. 
(Nigh unto the sea—Capernaum.) 3 . How did the people receive him ? 
Luke viii, 40. 4 . Who came to Jesus, and what did he do and say? 

Mark v, 22, 23. 1 (It seems to have occurred soon after the landing.) 

5. What did Jesus do ? Verse 24. (Went with him at once. Matt, ix, 19.) 

6. Who went along with Jesus and his disciples? Mark v, 24 and Luke 

viii, 42. (“Rudeness, curiosity, and good will were mingled in the 
motley crowd.”) 7. As they went along an afflicted woman approached 
Jesus; how is her case described? Mark v, 25, 26. 8. She had heard 

of Jesus, perhaps of the stilling of the tempest and the healing of the 
demoniac that day: what did she do? Verse 27. 2 9 . What did she 
say in her heart as she touched his garment? Verse 28. 10. What was 

the result? Verse 29. 11 . What is said of Jesus at this moment? 

Verse 30. 12 . What did the disciples ask, as if surprised at his ques¬ 
tion? Verse 31. 3 13 . Why did Jesus look around him? Verse 32, 

No. 1. 




45 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

14. What is said of the woman when Jesus looked round? Verse 33. 

15. How did Jesus comfort the poor woman? Verse 34. (TTow tenderly 

compassionate his words!) 16 . While these things were taking place 
messengers came from the ruler’s house: what bad news did they bring { 
Verse 35. 17 . Jesus heard the message and was first to speak: what 

did he say to Jairus? Verse 36. (This, with the miracle he had just 
witnessed, reassured the sorely distressed father, to whom the short 
delay must have been a great trial.) 18 . Whom did he allow to follow 
him? Verse 37; 19 . What did Jesus see and hear when he entered 

the house? Verse 38. (Compare Matt, ix, 23.) 1 * 3 4 5 6 * 20 . What did Jesus 
say to the mourners? Verse 39. 5 21 . What did the mourners do when 
they heard the words of Jesus? Verse 40, first part. 22 . Whom did 
Jesus take with him into the room where the little girl lay dead? 
Verse 40. (Peter, James, and John were present. See Luke viii, 51.) 8 
23 . What did Jesus do and say when he raised the dead child to life? 
Verse 41. (Compare Matt, ix, 25 and Luke viii, 54.) 24 . What followed 
his touch and his words? Verse 42. 25 . How old was she? Same 

verse. 26 . Did the child come to life at once ? Luke viii, 55. 27 . What 
did the people think ? 28 . What did he tell the parents to do? Mark 
v, 43. 29 . What not to do? Same verse. (But the prohibition was 

not observed. Matt, ix, 26.) 30 . Recall the wonderful miracles in our 
last four lessons—all showing Jesus to be an Almighty Saviour. 


1 “Even now dead,” means in a dying condition, for Mark says, “lieth at the point 
of death,” and Luke, “she lay a dying.” Matthew omits the message that met 
them on the way, and states the case concisely. A father so distressed and urgent 
would naturally repeat his statements, varying them with his alternations of hope and 
fear. 

a Matthew says “hem;” Luke, the “border of his garment.” She touched the 
tassel of threads that hung from one of the four corners of his upper garment. 
Compare N ran. xv, 38, 39 ; Deut. xxii, 12. 

3 It is evermore thus in his Church. Many “throng” Christ; his in name; near 
to him outwardly; in actual contact with the sacraments and ordinances of his 
Church; yet not' touching him because not drawing nigh in faith; not looking for, 
and therefore not obtaining, life and healing from him, and through these.— Trench. 
There was an element of superstition in the touching of his garment, yet for her 
sincerity Jesus overlooks this error. There is encouragement for us all in this 
gracious overlooking of ignorance. 

4 The hired mourners, after the custom, had already commenced their deafening 
tumult of discordant instrumental and vocal sounds. 

5 Compare John xi, 11-14, where Jesus spoke in this way of Lazarus, who was 
dead. One writer says: “ An impostor would have used every effort to convince 
them that she was really dead, in order to set off to the best advantage the wonder 
of the recovery.” 

6 There was to be no funeral lamentations—these mourners might go their ways. 

Nor had these people the right temper and spirit to be witnesses of so holy and 
awful a mystery as the raising of the dead child. 

-- 


LESSON XXXS. 

HEALING OF THE PARALYTIC.—Matt, ix, 1-8; 


Mark ii, 1-12; 

Heading Lesson: Psa. ciii. 

LESSON 

Jesus, thy far-extended fame 
My drooping soul exults to hear; 

Thy name, thy all-restoring name, 

Is music in the sinner's ear. 

Ko. 1. 


Luke v, 17-26. 

Golden Text: Psa. ciii, 2, 3. 

HYMN. 

Would’st thou the body’s health restore, 
And not regard the sin-sick soul ? 

The sin-sick soul thou lov’st much more, 
And surely thou wilt make it whole. 





46 JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What five great miracles have we studied in the last four lessons? 
2. What miracle do we study to-day ? 3. In what city was the mira¬ 
cle Avrought? Mark ii, 1. (“ liis own city.”) 4. What brought a crowd 
to the house where Jesus was staying—probably Peter’s ? Same verse. 
5. What was Jesus doing, and who Avere present when the sick man 
was brought? Luke v, 17. 6. What is said of the power of God on that 
occasion ? Same verse. 7. Who were there besides the Pharisees and 
doctors of the laAV? Mark ii, 2. 1 8. Who was brought to Jesus, and 

how ? Verse 3. 2 9. Why could they not get to Jesus through the door? 
Verses 2-4. 10* Hoav did they manage when they found the door 

blocked up? Verse 4. (Luke, chap, v, 19, describes it more particu¬ 
larly.) 3 11. What was the first thing Jesus said to the sick man Avlien 

lie was let down before him? Matt, ix, 2. 12. After saying “ Son, be 

of good cheer,” Avhat did he say next? Same verse. 13. Whose faith 
is spoken of here ? Same verse. (Mark and Luke both speak of the 
regard Jesus had to “their faith.”) 4 14. What did the scribes and 
Pharisees reason in their hearts? Mark ii, 6, 7. (If Jesus had been only 
a man they were right: only God can forgive sins; but Jesus was God 
as well as man.) 15. How'did Jesus know their thoughts? Verse 8. 
(Only God can read the heart in this Avay.) 16 . What did he ask his 
critics? Verse 9. 17. What did he next say to the paralytic? Verse 

11. 18. What did he do? Verse 12, first part. 19. Why did Jesus 
Avork this miracle as he did ? Verse 10. 20. What impression did the 

miracle make? Verse 12, second part. (Compare Matt, ix, 8; Luke v, 
26.) 21. Why did Jesus forgive his sins first? 5 * * * * * 22. Can he forgive 
sins noAV? 23. Hoav did the four friends shoAV their faith? How did 
the sick man show his? 24. What lesson is taught us by the conduct 
of the four friends? That we should bring our friends to Jesus. 
25. What else? That we must do good, trouble or no trouble. 2G. Hoav 
did the cured man show his grateful feelings? Luke v, 25. 27. No 

Avonder, then, if a truly pardoned and converted soul should rejoice in 
God. 


1 Curiosity, and maybe a better feeling in some, had drawn together a great crOAvd; 
notably of Pharisees, scribes, and doctors of the law, from Judea, Galilee. Some 
were there from Jerusalem. Jesus preached to them, and God's power was present 
“ to heal them all 11 —even Pharisees, scribes, and doctors might have been “ healed ” 
of their sins but for their obstinate unbelief. 

2 Palsy —paralysis, it seems; a disease which deprives the sufferer of the power of 
voluntary motion. Sometimes, as in this case, it affects the whole body, when death 
generally soon follows. Sometimes accompanied with great suffering. Compare 
Matt. \iii, 6. 

3 Their houses were generally but one story, with flat roofs, tile-covered, with a 
narrow staircase on the outside, running to the top. Matt, xxiv, 17 assumes* the 
existence of such stair-ways. 

4 But the sick man showed as strong faith as his four friends in being willing to 
be carried such a distance and in such a way. It was a great trial of a sick man’s 
faith to reach Jesus by the route they took. 

5 The by-standers might have been surprised at the first accost of Jesus to the 

paralytic man. It was not “ Take up thy bed and walk,” but “Thy sins be forgiven 

thee.” He goes deeper than the outward evil, down to the evil, the root of all evil— 

properly the only evil— sin. He read in that sufferer's heart a deeper wish than 

appeared in the outward act, the consequences of a burden worse than palsy, the 

longing for a rest more profound than release from pain—the desire to be healed of 

guilt.—F. W. Kobeetson. 



JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


47 


LESSON XXXII. 

JESUS EATING WITH PUBLICANS AND SINNEES. Matt, 
ix, 9-17; Mark ii, 13-22; Luke v, 27-39. 


Reading Lesson: Luke v, 16-39. 


Golden Text: Mark ii, 17. 


LESSON HYMN. 


The vile, the lost—he calls to them; 

“Ye trembling souls, appear! 

The righteous in their own esteem 
Have no acceptance here. 


“Approach, ye poor, nor dare refuse 
The banquet spread for you;” 
Dear Saviour, this is welcome news! 
Then I may venture too. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. Recall the subject of last Sunday’s lesson. 2. Where did Jesus 
go after the healing of the paralytic? Mark ii, 13. (Capernaum was on 
the lake shore.) 3. Did the people follow him ? Same verse. 4. Whom 
did Jesus see as he passed along? Verse 14. 5. Levi (as Mark and 

Luke call him) and Matthew are the same. 6. How does Matthew him¬ 
self describe his call to be an apostle? Matt, ix, 9. 1 7. Did Matthew 

obey promptly? Same verse. 8. What does Luke, chap, v, 28, say? 
(Matthew’s modesty is marked. He says nothing of sacrificing any 
thing to be an apostle, and he tells all in few words.) 9. What did 
Mattnevv-Levi (for he had both names) do soon after Jesus called him ? 
Luke v, 29, first part. 10. Who were present? Same verse. (Com¬ 
pare Matt, ix, 10, and Mark ii, 15.) 11 . What did the self-righteous 

and conceited Pharisees have to say about it all? Luke v, 30. 2 * 4 * 

12. How did Jesus answer these sanctimonious objectors ? Matt, ix, 12. 

13. Mark gives the fuller answer: what is it? Chap, ii, 17. 3 14. They 

professed to be wise in the Scriptures: what lesson did he give them to 
learn ? Matt, ix, 13. (Hosea vi, 6, God prefers kindness and good deeds 
to ceremonies.) 15. What is said of the disciples of John the Baptist 
and of the Pharisees? Mark ii, 18, first part. 16. What did they ask 
of Jesus? Same verse, second part. (They evidently censured Jesus 
and his disciples for not doing as they did.) 17. How did Jesus answer 
their criticism ? Verse 19. 18. When did he say his disciples would 

fast? Verse 20. 4 19. What did Jesus say about patching old garments 

with new cloth? Mark ii, 21. 20. Of putting new wine into old bot¬ 
tles? Mark ii, 22. 21. What must be done with new wine? Same 

verse. 22. What sort of bottles are here alluded to? Leather bottles. 
23. Why will new wine burst old bottles ? They are too dry and stiff 
to stretch when the wine ferments. 6 


1 Matthew calls himself “the publican” in chap. x. 3. The publicans were Roman 
tax collectors, and as such, generally despised by the Jews. He was in his office 
when called. Booths were erected on roads, rivers, anil lakes for these officers, at 
convenient points. Capernaum was then a flourishing city, and Matthew’s was a 

paying office. „ . ., , 

2 The Pharisees—separatists in feeling as well as name—were not there; not they. 
They regarded it as unprofessional and disgraceful for a religious teacher to be found 
in such company. They perplexed His disciples with their objections. Luke says; 
“Their scribes and Pharisees,” indicating that they were of Capernaum. 

2 Jesus does not say that the Pharisees and scribes were good—only they claimed 
to be. They should not complain if lie sought those who not only needed him, but 
felt and confessed their need. But his words were a call to the self-righteous to 
repentance. Had he not come to save sinners he would not hare come at all. 

4 Formalism fasts bv the almanac—true piety when there is an appropriate occa¬ 

sion. We have (Mark ii, 20) a reference to the death Jesus foresaw as awaiting him. 
But these people did not understand him. “How sublime, Alf i:i> remarks, 

No. 1. 4 





48 JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


“and peaceful, is this early announcement by our Lord of the bitter passage before 
him 1 ” 

6 The new wine is the symbol of the new dispensation of joy, and the o^d bottles 
are the symbols of the old dispensation of shadows; so the truth is again illustrated 
that new Christianity, with its living spirit, cannot afford to remain enveloped in the 
old skin of ascetic Judaism. And this is the answer to the disciples of John, [and 
of the Pharisees,] who wonder at the new fashion of Christ’s disciples, who do not 
disfigure their faces, according to the old custom, with much fasting.—W hw>on. 
There was to be nothing incongruous in the gospel dispensation. 


LESSON XXXIII. 

JESUS TEACHING, PREACHING, HEALING—HIS COMPAS¬ 
SION ON THE MULTITUDE-THE PLENTEOUS 
HARVEST. Matt, ix, 27-38. 


Reading Lesson : 2 Cor. v. 


Golden Text: Matt, ix, 36. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Lord of the harvest, hear 
Thy needy servants’ cry; 
Answer our faith’s effectual prayer, 
And all our wants supply. 


On thee we humbly wait, 

Our wants are in thy view; 

The harvest truly, Lord, is great, 
The laborers are few. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What wonderful miracle is recorded in Matt, ix, 23-25. 2. Who 

followed Jesus as he left the house of Jairus? Verse 27. 1 3. flow did 
the blind men address Jesus? Same verse. 2 4. Jesus went into a 
house—perhaps Peter’s: what did the blind men do? Verse 28, first 
part. (Jesus wished, perhaps, to avoid further excitement of the eager 
multitude.) 5. What did Jesus ask them when they entered the house, 
and what did they answer? Same verse. 6. What did Jesus then do ? 
Verse 29, first part. 7. What did he say? Same verse. (Their faith 
was the measure of the blessing they were to receive. So for us.) 
8. What wa6 the result? Verse 30, first part. (The result proved their 
faith.) 9. What did Jesus command them ? Same verse. 10. Did 
they obey? Verse 31. 3 11. Who was brought to Jesus as he and his 

disciples were leaving the house in which the blind men’s eyes were 
opened? Verse 31. (The man mentioned, Mark vii, 32, suffered a natu¬ 
ral defect ; this man was dumb by demoniac influence.) 12. How did 
the man show that the devil was cast out ? and what did the people 
think? Verse 33. 13. How did the wicked Pharisees pretend to ex¬ 

plain the miracle? Verse 34. (As if Satan would fight against him¬ 
self! Compare Matt, xii, 24-30.) 14. How does Matthew describe, in 

a general way, the work of Jesus during this period of his ministry ? 
Verse 35. 4 15. What was the condition of the crowds that followed 

Jesus ? Verse 3G. (So now, men without Christ are like sheep that are 
‘•faint,” “scattered,” shepherdless.) 16. What was the feeling of 
Jesus toward these poor, uninstructed, unsaved people ? ' Same verse. 
17. How does Jesus now feel when he looks upon poor sinners ? As he 
did then , he is “ moved with compassion on them.” 18. How did 
Jesus show his compassion—his love and pity—for poor sinners? Bv 
all that he did for them, particularly by dying for them. 19. The sal¬ 
vation of a world of sinners is compared to a “ harvestwhat does 
Jesus say of the harvest? Verse 37. 20. What of the laborers? Same 

No. 1. 



JESUS, TIIE CHRIST. 


49 


verse. 21. Is this harvest now “ plenteous? ” is there now much to be 
done in the Lord’s work ? 22. Where are the laborers very few ? Par¬ 
ticularly among the heathen. 23. What should the Church do, seeing 
that “ the harvest is plenteous” and “the laborers few?” Verse 38! 5 
24* Who is “the Lord of the harvest? ” 25. Who are the laborers? 
All who help in the salvation of sinners. 26. What is the one great 
business of the Church in this world? To “work together” with God 
to save the harvest. (Compare 2 Cor. vi, 1.) 

1 This may mean when Jesus left the section of country in which Jairus lived, 
for. as Alford says, verse 26 “has generalized the locality, and implies some pause 
ot time.” 

2 The Jews designated the Messiah by this title. He was predicted and expected 
to come as the “Son of David.” Compare Isa. xi, 1; Jer. xxiii, 5; Matt, xii, 23; 
xxi, 9; xxii, 45, etc. 

3 Jesus sought to prevent and allay the popular excitement, which soon after 
reached such a point that the people tried to make him a king by force. (See John 
vii, 15.) “No doubt,” says Alford, “the two men were guilty of an act of disobedi¬ 
ence in thus breaking the Lord’s solemn injunction; for obedience is better than 
sacrifice, the humble observance of the word of the Lord than the most laborious and 
widespread will-worship after man’s own mind and invention.” 

4 Verse 35 intimates a wonderful history. It is the record of, perhaps, many months’ 
l.ibore in Galilee. IIow many wretched people, whose names we know not, were 
made happy for both worlds! 

5 It is God’s work to “ send forth laborers;” Christ makes ministers. (Eph. iv, 11;) 
the office is of his appointing, the qualifications of his working, the call of his giving. 
They will not be owned nor paid as laborers that run without their errand, un¬ 
qualified, uncalled.— Henry. Let the “laborers” take heart for their mighty work; 
there in a “ Lord of the harvest”. He is unspeakably more concerned in their suc¬ 
cess than they can be themselves. Jesus Christ is in sympathy of divine brother¬ 
hood with his laborers, great and small. And he “ works with them ’’—rather, they 
arc “ laborers together with God.” 




LESSON XXXIV. 

THE CHOOSING AND SENDING OUT OF THE APOSTLES. 

Matt, x, 1-23. 

(Compare Mark iii, 13-19 ; Luke vi, 12-16 ; ix, 1-6.) 

Reading Lesson: Eph. iv. Golden Text: Rev. ii, 7. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Let Zion’s watchmen all awake. 

And take the’ alarm they give; 

Now let them from the mouth of God 
Their awful charge receive. 


’Tis not a cause of small import 
The pastor’s care demands; 

But what might fill an angel's heart, 
And fill’d a Saviour’s hands. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What did Jesus do the night before be chose his twelve apostles? 
Luke vi. 12, 13. (Mark iii, 1-14 shows that the choosing followed many 
miracles.) 2. Why did Christ ordain twelve men to be apostles? 1 
Mark iii, 14. 15. 3. What power did he give them before sending them 

out on their trial mission? Matt, x, 1 . 4. What were their names? 

Verses 2-4. 2 (See Appendix.) 5. Where did he tell them not to go? 
Verse o. (The time had not yet come for them to preach in these 
regions. Compare Luke xxiv, 49, and Acts i, 7, 8; ii, 1-4.) 6 . To 
whom did he tell them to go first? Verse 6. (The Jewish Church is 
often compared to a fold, and the Jews, because ot their frequent, back- 
slidings, to wandering sheep. See Psa. xcv, 7 ; c, 3; Jer. xxiii, 1-4; 
Ezek. xxxiv, etc.) 7. What were they to preach? Verse 7. (That is, 

Ko. I. * 





50 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

“The Christ is come.”) 8. What were they to do in proof that the 
Christ had sent them? Verse 8. 9. Why were they to give freely? 

Same verse. 10. What were they not to provide in their purses? 
Verse 9. 11. What other things were they not to provide? Verse 10, 

first part. 12. Why not? Same verse. (Scrip here means a satchel 
for carrying provisions—a sort of haversack.) 13. Why were they not 
to provide for their own support? Because God makes it the duty and 
privilege of the Church to support its pastors. 14. What were they told 
to do when they entered a town or city? Verse 11. 15. When they 

entered a house? Verse 12. (Salute it—wish it peace.) 16. Upon what 
houses would their blessing continue to rest? Verse 13. IT. What 
were they commanded to do when any people rejected their gospel 
message? Verse 14. (Teacher will explain this.) 3 18. What is said 

of the condition, at the day of judgment, of those who reject the Gospel ? 
Verse 15. 19. Why does he tell them to be “as wise as serpents and 

harmless as doves?” Verse 16. (Ungodly men have more of the ser¬ 
pent than the dove nature.) 20. Why should they “ beware of men ?” 
Verse 17. 21 . Before whom would their persecutors bring them for 
Christ’s sake? Verse 18. 22. Why does he tell them not to be troub¬ 

led beforehand as to how they shall defend themselves? Verses 19, 20. 
23. How does Jesus foretell the cruelties of the persecutors of his 
Church? Verse 21. (All these things came to pass.) 24. Who would 
hate them? Verse 22, first part. 25. Who will nevertheless be saved? 
Same verse. 26. What does lie say of the coming of the Son of man? 
Verse 23. 4 


1 Ordained .—The word so rendered means simply appoin’ed. There is no inti¬ 
mation of any ceremonial imposition of hands, etc. The word apostle means one 
sent forth, from apoxtello , to send away. The twelve were called apostles because 
they were especially sent forth by Christ. The name is appropriated to them: Eph. 
ii, 20; iv, 11; Rev. xxi, 14. 

2 The following statements and tables by Wiiedon' will be useful. Bv a careful 
comparison of the four different apostolic catalogues given by the narrators, we 
shall find them divisible, as below, by parallel lines, into three classes; each class 
being headed by the same name, and each class inclosing the same names, but with 
the lower names in each class variously arranged ;— 



Matt, x, 2-4. 

Mark hi 16-19. 

Li ! kk vi, 14-16. 

Acts i, 13. 

1 

Simon Peter. 

Simon Peter. 

Simon Peter. 

Peter. 

2 

Andrew, h i s 
brother. 

James. 

Andrew. 

James. 

3 

James, son of 
Zebedee. 

John. 

James. 

John. 

4 

John, his 
brother. 

Andrew. 

J ohn. 

Andrew. 

5 

Philip. 

Philip. 

Philip. 

Philip. 

6 

Bartholomew. 

Bartholomew. 

Bartholomew. 

Thomas. 

7 

Thomas. 

Matthew. 

Matthew. 

Bartholomew. 

8 

Matthew. 

Thomas. 

Thomas. 

M atthew. 

9 

James, son of 
Alpheus. 

James. 

James. 

James. 

10 

Lebbeus-Thad¬ 

deus. 

Thaddeus. 

Simon Zolotes. 

Simon Zolotes. 

11 

Simon, the Ca- 
naanite. 

Simon. 

Judas, bro. of James. 

Judas, brother 
of James. 

12 

Judas Iscariot. 

Judas Iscariot. 

Judas Iscariot. 



The Judas called the brother of James is the same as Lebbeus-Thaddeus, the 
“Judas, not Iscariot,” mentioned John xiv. 22. 

3 The Jews thought the land of Israel s> peculiarly holy that when they came 

No.. 1. 

























JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


51 


from any heathen country they stopped at the border and shook, or wiped, off the 
dust of it from their feet, that the holy land might not be polluted with it. There¬ 
fore the action here enjoined was a lively intimation that those Jews who had 
rejected the Gospel were holy no longer, hut were on a level with heathens and 
idolaters.—W esley. 

4 To destroy Jerusalem and close the Jewish state.— Summers. 


■«*- 


LESSON XXXV. 


OUK LOED'S DISCOUESE TO THE TWELVE APOSTLES UPON 
THEIE TEIAL MISSION—(Continued.)—Matt, x, 24-42. 

Reading Lesson : Matt, x, 24-42. Golden Text: Matt, x, 37. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Though troubles assail, 

And dangers affright, 
Though friends should all fail, 
And foes all unite, 


Yet one thing secures us, 
Whatever betide. 

The promise assures us, 
The Lord will provide. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. Can you repeat the names of the twelve apostles? Verses 2-4. 

2. What aid Jesus at this time command them to do? Verses 5-8. 

3. He had warned them that persecutions would come: what does he 

say in verse 24? (They need not, then, be surprised.) 4. How does 
he prepare their minds for reproach and slander? Verse 25. (Compare 
Matt, ix, 34.) 5. Why should they not be afraid of their persecutors? 
Verse 26. (They would, at the most, be only partakers of Christ’s suf¬ 
ferings.) G. How were they to preach what they learned of him? 
Verse 27. 7. What was the most their enemies could do? Verse 28, 

first part. 8. What reason does Jesus give why we should fear God? 
Same verse, second part. 1 9. How does Jesus teach his apostles to trust 
God’s care of them ? Verses 29-31. 2 10. What is promised to those 

who confess Christ before men? Verse 32. 11. What fearful doom is 

threatened against those who deny Christ? Verse 33. 12. What does 

Jesus say he came into the world to do? Verse 34. 3 13. How would 

people he divided in opinion about Christ ? Verse 35. 14. Where will 
Christ’s servants sometimes find their worst foes? Verse 36. 15. What 
does Jesus say of those disciples who love some other better than they 
do him ? Verse 37. (Jesus demands our supreme love, our entire devo¬ 
tion.) 16. What is said of the disciple who refuses to bear his cross? 
Verse 38. 17. Who loses his life? Verse 39, first part. 18. Who 
finds it? Same verse. 4 19. What does Jesus say of those who should 
receive his servants kindly? Verse 40. 20. Who shall not lose his 

reward? Verse 41. 21. What is promised in reward of a cup of cold 

water given to one of his disciples? Verse 42. (Christ Jesus identifies 
himself with his children; their good fortune and their evil fortune 
he shares.) _ 

1 The Lord does not say kill both soul and body. To destroy is not to kill, still 
less to annihilate, but to ruin. Our Lord’s words teach not the dismissal of the soul 
from existence , but its catastrophe and ruin in existence. — Wiiedon. 

2 The argument is from the less to the greater. A farthing (about half a cent) 
would buy two sparrows, so small were they. But God cares for them; how much 
more for men ; especially Christian men, who “ are of more value than many spar¬ 
rows.” How false and absurd are Pope’s lines, who represents the deity as one 

“ Who sees with equal eye, as God of all, 

A hero perish, or a sparrow fall.” 


No. 1. 





52 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


3 He came to introduce the Gospel, which he foresaw would provoke persecution; 
not that persecution was the final cause of his mission.— Summers. Jesus is the 
author of peace, but his Gospel is often the occasion of disturbance; made so by 
those who reject it. 

* The whole argument is condensed in this verse into a few startling words. To 
seek what men call life at the expense of the truth is to lose the true life ; to lose, 
if need be, what men call life for the truth’s sake, is to find the true life. It is 
unspeakably better to die than to be false to Christ. 


LESSON XXXVI. 

INQUIRIES OP JOHN THE BAPTIST—A PERVERSE GEN¬ 
ERATION. Matt, xi, 1-19. (Compare Luke vii, 11-35.) 

Reading Lesson: Luke vii, 11-35. Golden Text: Matt, xi, 15. 


LESSON HYMN. 


O believe the record true, 

God to you his Son hath given; 
Ye may now be happy too; 

Find on earth the life of heaven: 


Live the life of heaven above, 

All the life of glorious love: 
BlessVl in Christ this moment be, 
Bless’d to all eternity! 


QUESTIONS. 

1. Read Luke xi, 11-16. 2. What did the disciples of John the Bap¬ 
tist do? Luke vi, 18. 3. Where was John when he heard of these 

wonderful miracles of Jesus ? 1 Matt, xi, 2. (Herod had imprisoned him, 
see Matt, xiv, 3-11; Mark vi, 14-29.) 4. What did he do? Same verse. 

5. With what question did he send his disciples to Jesus? Matt, xi, 3. 

6 . What took place while the disciples of John were with Jesus ? Luke 

vii, 21. 7. When they were ready to go back to John what did Jesus 

tell them to report? Matt, xi, 4, 5. 8. What else? Matt, xi, 6. 2 

9. What was one of the strongest proofs Jesus gave John of his true 
character as the Christ? That he preached the Gospel to the poor. 

10. What did Jesus ask the people as John’s disciples went away? 

Matt, xi, 7, 8. (Explain.) 11. What else did Jesus ask them? Verse 9. 
12. What had been written? Verse 10. (See also verse 14.) 13. How 

does Christ show John to have been as great as the greatest before him, 
but less than the least Christian after him? Verse 11. 14. What is 

said, verse 12, of the kingdom of heaven? 3 (Teacher will explain.) 

15. What does Jesus finally say of John? Verse 14. (See Mai. iv, 5.) 

16. The multitudes who heard Jesus preach and saw his miracles were 
very obstinate and perverse: to what does Jesus compare them? Verses 
16,17. (Like sulky children, who will not be pleased by any thing.) 

17. How had John come ? Verse 18, first part. 18. What was said of 
him? Same verse. 19. How did Jesus come? Verse 19, first part. 
20. What did the perverse people say of him ? Same verse. 21. But 
some few of that generation were wise: how is wisdom justified? 
Same verse, last words. 4 22. Turn back now to verse 15 : what lesson 
is here for us all ? 


1 John was in the prison of Machaerus, in Perea, east of the Dead Sea. How long 
he had been imprisoned when his disciples made their reports to him of Christ’s 
wonderful miracles we know not. 

2 Some think that John sent these disciples to Jesus for the sake of satisfying 
their doubts; others say, for the sake of satisfying his own doubts. Perhaps both 
views are true. Shut up in the prison, in enforced idleness, and in the power of a 

wicked and cruel prince, it was natural that he should be tempted to doubt, and 

No. t. 





JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


53 

human tliat the temptation should trouble him. lie, as well as his disciples, needed 
re ^ s " r . ln ,S- 0lir koi'd s words are suited to John and his disciples. 

1 lam y the purpose of Jesus was to exalt the character of John the Baptist, 
hi-n JwV 6 £7*"“ , alrea .<ly forgetting the great preacher of repentance. Jesus 
bungs him back to their minds. Remarking on the illustrations, verses 7 and 8 
Lange says: Under the first simile Christ shows that John was not wavering 
in his faith; by the second, he proves that he had not dispatched his embassy from 
selfishness or cowardly fear of his life.” Jesus sets John above all the prophets, 
but not above the least Christian. The humblest Christian who lives after tie- 
crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and the pentecost, knows more of redemp¬ 
tion accomplished than did the greatest of the prophets. On verse 12 Summei* 
says; “ 1 he allusion is to the vast crowds that were baptized by John: and the 
design of Christ is to exalt the ministry of the Baptist. They may have mistaken 
the nature of that kingdom, hut when John announced it in the popular style of 
his ministry, they were ready to “ rush into it and take it as by storm.” 

4 John’s asceticism they called hypocrisy or mania: “ He hath a devil.” The socia¬ 
bility of Jesus they sneer at as •‘unprofessional” in a public teacher. They re¬ 
pented truly and permanently under the ministry of neither. A few wise ones had 
cars to hear—heard, heed id, and were saved. 


LESSON XXXVII. 


THE IMPENITENT CITIES-KEST POE THE WEAEY. 
Matt, xi, 20-30. 

Reading Lesson: Matt. xi. Golden Text: Matt, v, 5 


LESSON HYMN. 


Let earth no more my heart divide; 
With Christ may I be crucified; 

To thee with my whole heart aspire: 


Dead to the world and all its toys, 
Its idle pomp, and fading joys, 

Be thou alone my one desire 1 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What question did John the Baptist ask through his disciples? 
Verse 2. 2. What answer did Jesus send to John ? Verses 4-6. 3. What 
did Jesus say of the greatness of John the Baptist? Verse 11. 4. To 
what did Jesus compare the people who repented neither under his min¬ 
istry nor John’s ? Verses 16, 17. 5. Why did Jesus upbraid the cities 
where he had worked so many great miracles? Verse 20. 6. What 

cities are mentioned? Verse 21. 7. In what did Jesus' say that Tyre 

and Sidon would have differed from Choraziu and Bethsaida? 8. What 
do you know of these cities ? See Appendix. 9. What does Jesus say 
of these cities at the day of judgment? Verse 22. 10. What terrible 

woe does he pronounce on Capernaum? Verse 23. 11. How had 

Capernaum been exalted to heaven ? Jesus lived there, and Capernaum 
had a larger share of his ministry than other towns had. 12. How does 
he compare Capernaum with wicked Sodom ? Verse 23. 13. What do 

you know of Sodom? See Appendix. 14. How will these places stand 
at the day of judgment? Verse 24. 15. What became of Capernaum? 

The city was so utterly destroyed that its ancient site cannot be found. 
16. What do these sayings of Jesus teach us? That where much is 
given much is required. 17. What else? That those who sin in the 
Tight of the Gospel will suffer very heavy punishment. 18. For what 
does Jesus thank God in verse 25 ? 1 19. What else does Jesus say on 

this subject ? Verse 26. 20. What may we learn from these sayings of 

Christ? That the salvation he brings is hid from the proud and self- 
satisfied. 21. What else? That the humble hearted will learn God’s 
will. 22. What is delivered unto the Son? Verse 27, first part. (Our 

Ao. 1. 





54 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

Saviour is almighty.) 23. Who only knows the Son? Same verse. 
24. Who only Knows, and who only can reveal, the Father? Same 
verse. (Our Saviour is also all-wise.) 25. Whom does Jesus now 
invite to himself, and what does he promise? Verse 28. 26. What 
must those who come to Christ do and learn? Verse 29. 27. What 
sort of rest will they find? Same verse. 28. What does Jesus say of 
his “yoke and burden?” Verse 30. 29. How can this be? Love to 

Christ makes his service a delight. 8 

1 The sense is, although thou hast hidden, etc. Jesus speaks of those who re¬ 
jected “ these things,” and from whom they were, therefore, “ hidden,” as “ wise and 
prudent,” because so they thought themselves; despising as mere “babes” the 
humble and docile disciples who believed, and, therefore, had revealed to them “these 
things” of salvation. 

2 Verses 28-30 contain the full answer to John’s question, “Art thou he that 
should come?” Verse 27 is our Saviour’s claim of absolute divinity. Hence the 
authority of his invitation and promise. True rest of soul can only come through 
such a change of heart as brings resemblance to Christ. Whedon says: “ The yoke 
of Christ is freedom. The service of God is the highest and truest liberty.” 


LESSON XXXVIII. 

JESUS SHOWS HIMSELP LORD OF THE SAEBATH. Matt, 
xii, 1-21. (Compare Mark ii, 23 ; iii, 6; Luke vi, 1-12.) 

Rending Lesson: Matt, xii, 1-30. Golden Text: Mark ii, 28. 

LESSON HYMN. 

Thou seest me deaf to thy command, I Bid me stretch out my wither’d hand, 
Open, O Lord, my ear: | And lift it up in prayer. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What did the disciples do one Sabbath-day 1 as they, with Jesus, 
went through the corn-fields? Verse 1. (Probably barley, which ri¬ 
pened about passover time.) 2. What more does Luke tell us? Luke 
vi, 1. 3. What did certain malicious Pharisees have to say about it? 
Matt, xii, 2. (As to the Mosaic law allowing a traveler to rub out a few 
heads of wheat and eat, see Deut. xxiii, 25.) 4. How did Jesus reply? 
Verses 3, 4. (See 1 Sam. xxi, 6, 2 etc. 5. What did Jesus ask them 
touching their priests and their Sunday work? Verse 5. (The law 
ordered certain work to be done on the Sabbath. See Lev. xxiv, 5-9 ; 
Num. xxviii, 9.) 6. How'does Jesus speak of himself? Verse 6.’ 
7. What had they not understood? Verse 7. (Works of mercy and 
necessity should be done on the Sabbath.) 8. How did he show that 
they had false notions on the whole question of the Sabbath ? Mark ii 
27, 28. 9. What more did he say as to himself on this subject ? Matt.’ 
xii, 8. 3 10. Where did Jesus go after this interview with the Pharisees ? 
Verse 9. (It was on a different Sabbath. See Luke vi, G.) 11. Who 

was in the synagogue? Verse 10. 12. Which hand? Luke vi. 6. 

13. Who watched Jesus, and with what purpose? Luke vi, 7 . (What 
a despicable spirit was theirs!) 14. What did they ask Jesus ? Matt, 

xii, 10. 15. Jesus knew their thoughts before they spoke: what did 
he tell the afflicted man to do? Luke vi, 8. 16. When the man stood 

forth before them all, what question did Jesus ask his enemies ? Luke 
vi, 9. 17. How did Jesus, from their own customs, show their folly 

and hypocrisy? Matt, xii, 11. 18. How did he press his argument 




55 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

upon them ? Verse 12. 19. How did Jesus regard their wicked spirit ? 

Mark iii, 5, first part. 4 20. What did Jesus now command? and what 
was the result? Same verse, second part. (This seemed impossible, 
but the man believed that Jesus would cure liis arm when he tried to 
obey. So now, Jesus heals poor souls who try to do what he com¬ 
mands.) 21. What did the Pharisoes do when they saw what was 
done? Matt, xii, 14. 22. Whom did they take into their councils? 

Mark iii, 6. (The Herodians Avere politicians whom the Pharisees hated, 
but they hated Jesus more.) 23. What was the temper of these people ? 
Luke vi ? 11. 24. What did Jesus do when he knew what his enemies 

were doing? Matt, xii, 15. 25« What did Jesus say to the multitudes 
that followed him? Verse 16. 26. What prophecy of Isaiah did our 
Lord Jesus, in his patience, and humility, and tender love to the poor 
and to penitents, fulfill? Read Matt, xii, 17-21. (Teacher will explain 
this paragraph, and show how the prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus.) 


1 Luke vi, 1, says: “ The second Sabbath after the first.” Wesley renders thus: 
“ On the first Sabbath after the second day of unleavened bread.” 

2 David Avas a great saint with them, and our Lord’s citation doubtless silenced 
the hypocrites for a time. 

3 Our blessed Lord asserts his right: 1. To interpret the law of the Sabbath; 
2. To alter or modify it as he pleased; 3. To alter the time of its observance, which 
he afterAvard did, through his apostles, from the seventh to the first day of the week. 
—Watson. 

4 Of this ‘‘anger” Olshattben says: “A sorroAvful sympathizing is not at all a 
contradiction. It is only in sinful man that boiling rage stifles the more gentle feel¬ 
ing of sorroAV and sympathizing grief. I n our Redeemer, as in the heart of God, 
the floAv of anger is identical with love ; while he hates sin, he has mercy upon the 
sinner.” 




LESSON XXXIX. 

REVIEW LESSON. 

Beading Lesson: John i, 1-18. Golden Text: John I, 14. 

[Read carefully during the week the text of the different lessons, and be prepared 
for such questions as the teacher, or superintendent, or pastor, may ask.] 


LESSON HYMN. 


O come, and dwell in me, 
Spirit of power Avithin: 
And bring the glorious liberty 
From sorroAV, fear, and sin. 


This inward, dire disease, 
Spirit of health, remove, 
Spirit of finish’d holiness, 
Spirit of perfect love. 


THE OUTLINE. 

XX VII. Christ Cleanses a Man full of Leprosy. Matt, viii, 1-4; Mark 
i, 40-45; Luke v, 12-15.—Leprosy a type of sin. The conduct of the 
man in the text. The attitude of Jesus. 

XXVIII. The Stilling of the Tempest. Matt, viii, 18-27; Mark iv, 35-41; 
Luke viii, 22-25.—The test applied to one who would go with Jesus. 
The rejected plea. The tempest stilled. 

XXIX. Healing of the Demoniacs in the Country of the Gadarenes. Matt, 
viii, 28-34; Mark v, 1-20; Luke viii, 26-39.—The occasion and the scene 
of this miracle. The demons cast out. The demons in the sAvine, and 
the swine in the sea. Jesus rejected. A witness left in Gadara. 

XXX. Jesus liaises to Life the Daughter of Jairus , and Heals a Sick 

No. 1. 





56 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

Woman on the way. Matt, ix, 18-26 ; Mark v, 21-43; Luke viii, 40-56.— 
The request of Jairus. A diseased woman touches the hem of Christ’s 
garment and is healed on the way to the house of Jairus. The message 
received on the way. “ She is not dead, but sleepeth.” The child * 
raised from the dead. 

XXXI. Healing of the Paralytic. Matt, ix, 1-8 ; Mark ii, 1-12; Luke v, 
17-26.—The paralytic brought by four friends to Jesus. Sins forgiven 
—paralysis healed. 

XXXII. Jesus Eating with Publicam and■ Sinners. Matt, ix, 9-17; 
Mark ii, 13—22; Luke v, 27-39.—The publican called to be an apostle. 
The Pharisees scandalized. The disciples of Jesus perplexed. The 
Old and the New. 

XXXIII. Jesus Teaching , Preaching , Healing. His Compassion on the 
Multitude. The Plenteous Hardest. Matt, ix, 27-38.—Jesus opens the 
eyes of two blind men. Heals a dumb demoniac. “ Moved with com¬ 
passion on the multitude.” The “ plenteous harvest.” 

XXXIV. The Choosing and Sending out of the Twelve Apostles. Matt. 

x, 1-23; Mark iii, 13—19; Luke vi, 12-16; ix, 1-6.—How Jesus spent 
the night before. The names of the twelve. Directions for their present 
journey. “ Wise as serpents—harmless as doves.” After much perse¬ 
cution, deliverance at last. 

XXXV. Our Lord's Discourse to the Twelve Apostles upon their Trial 
Mission. Matt, x, 24-42.—“ Fear not them which kill the body.” “ The 
very hairs of your head are all numbered.” The sin and danger of de¬ 
nying Christ. Seeking and losing life. Christ one with his people. 
XXXVI. Inquiries of John the Baptist. A Perverse Generation. Matt. 

xi, 1-19; Luke vii, 11-35.—John’s inquiry through his disciples. What 
John’s disciples saw while with Jesus. Christ’s answer. A perverse 
generation. 

XXXVII. The Impenitent cities. Rest for the Weary. Matt, xi, 20-30. 
(Compare Luke x, 21, 22.)—Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum, Tyre, 
Sidon, Sodom. God’s ways revealed unto “ babes.” Rest for the weary. 

XXXVIII. Jesus shows himself Lord of the Sabbath. Matt, xi, 1-21; 
Mark ii, 23; iii, 6 ; Luke vi, 1-12.—The disciples rubbing out the 
barley on the Sabbath as they walked through the fields. The malicious 
criticisms of the Pharisees. The answer of Jesus to the hypocrites. 
The “ Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.” “ The Sabbath was* made for 
man.” The man with the withered hand. Our Lord’s reproof of the 
bitter prejudices of his enemies. “Stand forth in the midst.” “ Stretch 
forth thy hand.” The Pharisees with the Herodiana. 


LESSON XL. 


ACCUSATION OP CASTING- OUT DEVILS BY BEELZEBUB, 
AND OUE LOKD’S ANSWEK. Matt, xii, 22-37. 
(Compare Mark iii, 20-30; Luke xi, 14-23.) 

Reading Lesson: Luke xi, 1-23. Golden Text: Matt, xii, 30. 


LESSON 

My Saviour and my King, 

Thy beauties are divine; 

Thy lips with blessings overflow, 

And ev’ry grace is thine. 

No. 1. 


HYMN. 

Thy Father and thy God, 

Hath, without measure, shed 
His Spirit, like a joyful oil, 

T’ anoint thy sacred head. 




JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


57 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What sort of man was brought to Jesus? Matt, xii, 22. 1 2. What 
proof did lie give of being thoroughly healed? Same verse. 3. What 
impression was made on the people, and what did they say? Verse 23. 
(“ Son of David” means the Messiah—the Christ.) 4. How did the 
hypocritical and angry Pharisees pretend to explain the wonderful mira¬ 
cle? Verse 24. (Beelzebub.) 5. From what city had this set of critics 
come? Mark iii, 22. 2 6. How did Jesus know their thoughts? Matt, 
xii, 25, first part. .(Jesus read men’s hearts.) 7. How did he begin his 
answer to them? Same verse. 8. How did he show the absurdity of 
what they had said about his miracles? Verse 26. (The devil is not 
such a fool as to fight against himself; he never cures people of sin. 3 ) 
9. Some of their disciples—here called “children” of the Pharisees— 
pretended to cast out devils: how does Jesus make them ashamed of 
what they had said? Verse 27. 10. By what spirit did Jesus cast out 

devils, and what should they have understood from his miracles? 
Verse 28. 11. How does Jesus illustrate the subject? Verse 29. 4 

12. How does Jesus sum up his reply to their blasphemous accusation? 
Verse 30. 6 13. What shall be forgiven unto men if they repent and 

believe? Verse 31, first part. 14. What sin shall never be forgiven? 
Same verse, second part.. 15. What more is said of sins that may be 
forgiven, and of sins that are unpardonable? Verse 32. 10. IIow did 

these very Pharisees commit this fearful, unpardonable sin ? By attrib¬ 
uting to Satan the miracles wrought by Christ through the Spirit. 

17. How does Mark, chap, iii, 30, say they had committed this sin? 8 

18. What does Jesus say of the tree and its fruit? Matt, xii, 33. (His 
works were only good; hence the absurdity of their charge that he was 
in league with Satan.) 19. To what does Jesus compare these wicked 
people who spoke so bitterly and falsely? Verse 34. (They hissed out 
slanders because they were “ vipers ” at heart.) 20. What does a good 

do? Verse 35, first part. 21. What does a bad man do? Same 
verse. (Only a change of heart can make a sinner a Christian.) 22. For 
what will men give an account in the day of judgment? Verse 36. 7 
23. What is said of our words and the verdict of the last day ? Verse 37. 


1 Mark omits the miracle, but gives part of the discourse that followed. Luke 
says of the demon that “it was dumb,” because it made the man dumb. Luke says 
nothing of blindness, but his omission is no contradiction of Matthew’s statement. 

2 The Capernaum Pharisees had sent, it seems, to Jerusalem for reinforcements. 

3 Hell is anarchy. Satan’s kingdom is full of antagonisms. What our Lord asserts 
is, that in respect to “ the kingdom of heaven ” it is as one. Just as the Pharisees 
and Ilerodians, who hated each other, were united in their effort to crush Jesus. 

4 Thus our Lord declares both that his kingdom is hostile to Satan and that it is 
more mighty, since he was able at pleasure to bind the very head and ruler of this 
dark monarchy and to cast him out.— Watson. 

6 There are no neuters in this war. Every one must be either with Christ or 
against him—either a loyal subject or a rebel.— Wesley. 

6 Some writers have mystified this subject to the sore distress of many good peo¬ 
ple, who believe, without thinking, whatever they see in a book. Wesley says: 
“There is nothing plainer in the Bible. It is neither more nor less than the ascrib¬ 
ing those miracles to the power of the devil which Christ wrought by the power of 
the Holy Ghost.” Dr. Clarke says : “ Here (Mark iii, 30) the matter is made clear 
beyond doubt. . . . No man who believes the divine mission of Jesus Christ ever 
can commit this sin.” 

1 The words are the outward utterance of the man, and on this ground will form 
a subject of strict inquiry in the great day, being a considerable and weighty part of 
our works.— Alford. 

No. l. 




58 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 




LESSON XU. 

THE PHARISEES SEEK A SIGN-CHRIST’S MOTHER AND 
BRETHREN. Matt, xii, 38-50. (Compare Luke xi, 16, 
24-36; Mark iii, 31-35; Luke viii, 19-21. 

Reading Lesson: Matt, xii, 22-50. Golden Text: Luke viii, 21. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Behold! what wondrous grace 
The Father hath bestow’d 
On sinners of a mortal race,— 
To call them sons of God 1 


Nor does it yet appear 

How great we must be made; 
But when we see our Saviour here. 
We shall be like our Head. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What did the Jerusalem Pharisees say of our Lord’s miracles? 
Mark iii, 22. 2. What did certain other Pharisees do? Matt, xii, 38. 1 
3. How did Jesus describe a sign-seeking generation ? Verse 39. 4. How 
would he give them the sign of the prophet Jonas? Verse 40. (This 
verse foretells his resurrection.) 5. Who was Jonah? See Appendix. 
6. What did the men of Nineveh do when Jonah preached? Verse 41. 
(“A greater than Jonas is here.”) 7. What ancient queen would con¬ 
demn in the judgment the men of that generation? Verse 42. (Com¬ 
pare 1 Kings x, 1-13. “ A greater than Solomon is here.”) 8. What is 

said of the unclean spirit when he is cast out of a man ? Verse 43. 9. What 
is said of the unclean spirit when he goes back into a man? Verse 44. a 
10. In his discourse to these Pharisees, Jesus, in reproving their bitter 
prejudices, speaks of the uses of a lighted candle. What is not done 
with it? Luke xi, 33. ( They might have seen the truth; the words and 
works of Jesus were like a bright candle on a candlestick.) 11. What 
is the light of the body, and when is the whole body full of light? 
Luke xi, 34. 12. When is it full of darkness ? Same verse. 13. Why 

could these Pharisees not see in the light which Jesus kindled? They 
were prejudiced and they would not. (Prejudice grows blinder as the 
light increases.) 14. What caution does Jesus give these willfully blind 
people? Luke xi, 35. 15. How will the light of divine truth shine in 

those who gladly receive it? Luke xi, 36. 16. “If the gospel be hid,” 

to whom is it Lid ? 2 Cor. iv, 4. 17.. What is said of the multitude 

just after Jesus healed the deaf and dumb demoniac? Mark iii, 20. 
18 . What did certain of the “ friends” — that is, the kindred — of Jesus 
propose to do when they heard of these things? Verse 21. 19. Who 

came near while Jesus continued talking to the people in reply to the 
accusation of the Pharisees? Matt, xii, 46. 20. Why couldf they not 

come nearer? Luke viii, 19. 21. Did his mother and brethren send 
Jesus a message? Mark iii, 31. 22. The multitude sat all about Jesus, 
(Mark iiij 32:) what did one of them say to him? Matt, xii, 47. 23. What 
answer did he make? Matt, xii, 48. (This meant no disrespect to his 
mother, nor unkindness to his brethren.) 24. What did he do after ask¬ 
ing these questions ? Mark iii, 34, first part. 25. What besides looking 
round? Matt, xii, 49, first part. 2G. What did he say ? Matt, xii, 50. 
27. How is the same truth expressed Luke viii, 21 ? 3 


1 Luke xi, 16 shows that these sign-seeking Pharisees were different., somewhat, 
from those who charged him with casting out devils by Beelzebub. They were not 
quite so bad. The Jews were much given to asking “signs.” Compare Matt, 
xvi, 1-4; Mark viii, 12; 1 Cor. i, 22. These Pharisees wished some sign from heaven 
—a miracle in the sky, perhaps. 

No. l. 




JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


59 


2 It is a solemn warning to all who relapse into sin after the turning of their hearts 
to God. Those evils from which they have been wholly, or at least partially, saved, 
if suffered to resume their influence and dominion through unwatchfulness, world - 
Jiness, or neglect of duty, and the alienation of the heart from communion with God, 
come back with sevenfold force, and take possession of a heart thus empty of God, 
swept and garnished to receive evil, like a legion of evil spirits. —Watson. 

3 Jesus, “the Son of man,” was “manifested” for all men. He stands in the 
same relation to every man who truly believes and loves him—his Saviour and Elder 
Brother. Kinship, according to the flesh, could do nothing for his over-anxious, un¬ 
believing brethren. It is faith, not blood, that binds Jesus in spiritual fellowship 
to his people. Compare Luke viii, 19-21, and Rom. viii, 14-17, etc. Van Oosterzee 
says sharply and justly: “If the Saviour does not favor this honoring of his mother 
even here, where it moves within modest bounds, what judgment will he then pass 
upon the new dogma of Pio Nono, upon which an entirely new Mariology is built?” 

-- 


LESSON XLII. 

JESUS DINES WITH A PHARISEE, AND PUBLICLY 
BLESSES “A WOMAN WHICH WAS A SINNER.” 

Luke vii, 36-50. 1 

Reading Lesson: Luke xv, 1-24. Golden Text: Isa. xl, 29. 


LESSON 

Love and grief my heart dividing, 

With my tears his feet I’ll bathe; 
Constant still in faith abiding, 

Life deriving from his death. 


HYMN. 

Here it is I find my heaven, 

While upon the Lamb I gaze: 
Love I much? I’ve much forgiven— 
I’m a miracle of grace! 



ANCIENT JEWISH MODE OF DINING. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What did one of the Pharisees do upon a certain occasion? Verse 
S6 first part. 2. What was the Pharisee’s name? Verse 40. 3. Did 

Jesus accept the invitation? Verse 36, second part. 4.JV\ho came ln 
while Jesus was dining, and what did she bring ? Verse 37. 2 5. Where 
did she stand? Verse 38. 6. What did she do? Same verse, (lhe 

illustration on this page of the Jewish mode of eating reclining, not 

No. 1 



























60 


JESUS, T1IE CHRIST. 


sitting—shows how naturally she took her stand “at his feet behind 
him.’’) 7. The Pharisee, Simon, watched the woman and Jesus: did 

he say any thing? Verse 39, first part. 8. What were his thoughts 
about* Jesus ? Same verse. 9. What did Simon, in these secret thoughts, 
take for granted? That a true prophet would not let a sinful woman 
touch him. 10. What else? That prophets could read the hearts of 
people. 11. As Jesus did not interrupt the woman, what did Simon 
conclude ? That he could not read people’s hearts, and, therefore, was 
no prophet. 12. Simon’s thoughts show that he did not understand 
Jesus, for he “came to seek and to save” sinners. 13. How did Jesus 
show Simon that he could read 7ns thoughts? Verse 40. (He “an¬ 
swered” Simon’s secret thoughts.) 14. How did Jesus begin, and 
what did Simon say? Same verse. 15. Jesus delivered a short para¬ 
ble: can you repeat it ? Verses 41, 42. 16. What question did Jesus 

ask Simon, and what did Simon answer? Verses 42, 43. 17. What 

did Jesus say of his answer ? Verse 43. 18. How did Jesus rebuke 

Simon’s hard-heartedness and prejudice? Verse 44. (The courtesies 
here mentioned were due to guests ; were paid, by polite people, to all 
distinguished guests. Simon had failed in courtesy.) 19. W hat more 
did Jesus say for the woman in verse 45? 20. IIow did Jesus still 

further contrast Simon, the Pharisee, and the penitent woman ? Verse 46. 
21. What did Jesus say of the forgiveness of her sins, and of her grati¬ 
tude? Verse 47. 3 22. What did Jesus say to the woman to make her 
perfectly sure of her forgiveness? Verse 48. 4 23. What did some of 
the company—Pharisees^ like Simon—think when they heard what Je¬ 
sus said to the woman ? Verse 49. 24. Jesus answered their thoughts 

in another word to the woman: what was it? Verse 50. 5 25. Jesus 
has power to forgive sins, because he is God as well as man. And he can 
forgive the vilest sinner in the world. 

1 Luke, only, records this beautiful history. The time cannot be determined. I ts 
study is introduced here because it seems to have occurred in the early part of our 
Lord's conflict with the Pharisees, and because, by its very contrasts, it will help us 
to understand the lessons delivered at the table of another Pharisee. 

2 Her name is not given. We do not know what city is indicated verse 37. This 
is not the anointing described Matt, xxvi, 7-13, and there is no reason for identifying 
this woman with Mary of Bethany or Mary of Magdala. No doubt she had heard 
Jesus before this time. 

3 Love is the effect, not the cause, of forgiveness. The papists try to find in the 
words “For she loved much,” a ground for saying that her love was the antecedent 
cause of her forgiveness. But this contradicts both the letter and spirit of the parable. 

4 Contact with the cold Pharisee may have disturbed her peace. The words of 
Jesus reassure her. Fear takes wings, while true peace and joy fill her soul. And 
it is so now and with us when Jesus whispers to our souls, “Thy sins are forgiven.” 
Read Rom. viii, 15-17. 

5 Christ interprets himself when he adds, “Thy faith hath saved thee.”— 
Melanchtiion. 

--- 


LESSON XLIII. 

JESUS DINES WITH A PHARISEE, AND REBUKES HYPOC¬ 
RISY. Luke xi, 37-54. 

Rending Lesson: Luke xi, 29-54. Golden Text: Luke xi, 36. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Teach me, my God and King, 
In all things thee to see; 
And what I do, in any thing, 
To do it as for thee;— 

No. 1. 


To scorn the senses’ sway. 
While still to thee I tend: 
In all I do be thou the way, 
In all be thou the end. 





61 


JESUS, THE CHRIST 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What was the subject of our last lesson ? 2. At another time 1 
what did another Pharisee do? Verse 37. 3. Did Jesus accept this 

invitation? 4. It.seems that Jesus went at once to the table: what is 
said of the Pharisee? Verse 38. 2 5. It does not appear that the Phari¬ 
see spoke his thoughts, but Jesus knew them : what did he say to him ? 
Verse 39. (The “cup’’was a drinking vessel; the “platter,” a dish.) 
G. How did Jesus further reprove the folly of their notions and fashions ? 
Verse 40. 7. Jesus says nothing against cleanliness; he only urges 

that washed hands and cups will do no good with unwashed hearts. 
Compare Matt, xxiii. 26. (This saying belongs to a discourse delivered 
only a few days belore his crucifixion.) 8. How did Jesus point the 
way to real purity? Verse 41. 3 9. What things were the Pharisees ac¬ 

customed to do ? Verse 42, first part. 10. What were they accustomed 
to leave undone ? Same verse. 11. What comment does Jesus make 
on their conduct ? (True piety does not substitute one duty for another; 
it does its great and its small duties as unto God.) 12. How does Jesus 



ANCIENT MOI'E OF HAND WASHING. 


reprove their egotism and vanity ? Verse 43. (“ The uppermost seats ” 

—the seats of the elders nearest the chest which held the sacred books.) 
13. What were they like? Verse 44. 4 14. A lawyer interrupted Jesus 

in his denunciation of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees : what did he say ? 
Verse 45. (“Lawyers” in the NeV Testament are not attorney but 
professional teachers of religion. They furnished the theories.) 15. How 
does Jesus reply to the lawyers? Verse 46. 1G. What did they build ? 

Verse 47. 5 17. What did their conduct prove ? Verse 48. 18. What 

said the “wisdom of God?” Verse 49. 19. What should be re¬ 
quired of that generation? Verse 50. 20. How is this fearful warning 

pressed upon them? Verse 51. (The persecution of God’s messengers 
culminated in the rejection and crucifixion of Jesus; punishment, cul¬ 
minated in the destruction of Jerusalem.) 21. Who was Abel? 
22. Who was Zachariah ? 2 Chron. xxiv, 17-22. 23. What had these 
lawyers—false teachers—done with the key of knowledge? Verse 52. 

No. 1. 



























62 JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

24. What did the scribes and Pharisees of the company do when they 
heard these things? Verse 53. 25. With what spirit and purpose? 

Verse 54. 


1 Matthew xii, 46-50, and Mark iii, 20, 31-35, probably give the time and occasion 
of this invitation and dining, at the close, perhaps, of his vindication of his miracles 
from the blasphemous charge of the Pharisees. His mother and friends seemed 
anxious to withdraw him from the bitter and prejudiced circle of the scribes and 
Pharisees, but his work with them was not yet done, and he accepted the Pharisee's 
invitation. Matt, xii, 14, and Mark iii, 6, show the spirit that animated the persecut¬ 
ors at this period. 

2 They had many absurd and punctilious notions. Compare Mark vii. 3-5 and 
Matt, xv, 2. The engraving shows the ancient mode of the Je«s and other eastern 
nations when washing their hands. Verse 39 paints to the life their zeal for ritual 
purity and their indifference to moral impurity. 

3 As if he had said, by acts directly contrary to rapine and wickedness show that 
your hearts are cleansed, and these outward washings are needless.— Wesley. 

4 See Matt, xxiii, 27; but here the point of the comparison is different. There 
the sepulchers are whited, that men may not pass over them unawares; and the 
comparison is to the outside fairness and "inside abomination. lle> e the graves are 
not seen, and men thinking they are walking by clean ground are defiled by passing 
over them.— Alford. The corruption of the Pharisees, unseen by the common 
people, was like a concealed grave. Touching a grave involved ceremonial defile¬ 
ment. Num. xix, 16. 

5 Just like them, pretending great reverence for the ancient prophets, while ye 
destroy those whom God sends to yourselves. Ye, therefore, bear witness by this 
deep hypocrisy that ye are of the very same spirit with them.— Wesley. 

--<>«><>-- 


LESSON XLIV. 


WARNING AGAINST THE HYPOCRISY OP THE PHARISEES 
AND THE COVETOUSNESS OF THE WORLDLING. 

Luke xii, 1-34. 1 

Reading Lesson: Psa. lxxiii. Golden Text: 3 John 2 


LESSON HYMN. 


Were I possessor of the earth, 
And call’d the stars my own, 
Without thy graces and thyself, 
I were a u retell undone. 


Let others stretch their arms like seas, 
And grasp in all the shore: 

Grant me the visits of thy face, 

And I desire no more. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. Where did the close of our last Sunday’s lesson leave Jesus? At 
the table of a Pharisee. 2. How did the dinner.wind up ? Chap, xi, 
53, 54. 3. What was taking place upon the outside of the house at this 

time? Verse 1, first part, 4. What does Jesus say first of all to his 
disciples? Same verse. (Leaven—their doctrine and spirit.) 5. How 
does he show the folly of hypocrisy ? Verse 2. 6 . How does he teach 

his disciples courage in preaching his gospel? Verses 3-5. 7. How 

does he encourage their faith in God’s providence? Verses 6, 7. 

8. What does he promise to those who confess him before men? Verse 8. 

9. What does he threaten to those who deny him before men ? Verse 9. 

10 . What solemn warning is given? Verse 10. 11 . What divine aid 

is promised to those who are persecuted for his sake ? Verses 11, 12. 

12. How was this solemn discourse rudely interrupted? Verse 13. 8 

13. How does Jesus answer the rude interruption ? Verse 14. (Jesus 
had no time for such matters ■ it was not his business, and besides, lie 

No. 1. 




JESUS, THE CHRIST. 63 

would admonish the. man of his folly and sin “ in thinking of law-suits 
in the midst of-a discourse on the judgment-day of God.”) 14. Turn¬ 
ing from the man he addressed his disciples again: what did he say? 
Verse 15. (The man had showed his covetousness.) 15. How does 
the second part of verse 15 give the reason for the caution in the first 
part of it? 16. lie enforces his caution by a parable: can you state the 
parable of the discontented rich man who would build greater barns, 
but was not prepared to die? Verses 16-20. (The teacher may give 
several an opportunity—seeing that every point is Drought in.) 1 7'. Who 
is like this rich and foolish man? Verse 21. 18. What sad and fatal 

mistakes did this rich barn-builder make? 3 19. What lesson does 
Jesus draw from his parable? Verse 22. (Take no thought.) 20. IIow 
* does verse 23 give the reason for the exhortation in verse 22? 21. Most 
of verses 24-34 we have found in the Sermon on the Mount; these pre¬ 
cious truths Jesus repeats: what does he teacli us all from God’s care 
of the ravens and the lilies ? Verses 24-28. (The word rendered “grass ” 
means herbage. In the East, as wood is scarce, dry grass and other herb¬ 
age is often used for heating ovens.) 22. Why should Christians never 
yield to doubts and perplexities? Verses 29, 30. 23. What should we 

seek first of all? Verse 31. 24. How does Jesus comfort his people? 

Verse 32. (Little flock.) 25. How and where should Christians lay up 
treasures? Verse 33. 26. Where will our hearts be? Verse 34. 


1 Verses 1 and 13-21 are peculiar to Luke; with verses 2-9 compare Matt, x, 
26-33; with verse 10 compare Matt, xii, 31,32, and Mark iii, 28-30; with verses 
11, 12, compare Matt, x, 19, 20; with verses 22-34, compare Matt, vi, 19-34. 

2 The high themes of Christ’s discourse do not interest him ; his mind is revolving 
questions of land and money. It is the proof of utter worldliness that he could think 
about these things at all in the midst of such a sermon. Nothing is said against the 
justice of his claim; that does not enter into the question at this time. 

3 He says “my fruits, mg goods,” forgetting that he was only God’s steward. 
The poor all about him answered his question, verse IT. Stiek says: “But hast 
thou a store of years, too, laid up in thy barns? llis folly was fourfold: he forgot 
the Giver; appropriated all to himself; counted these things the food of his soul; 
and thought not of the daily possibility of death.” 


LESSON XLV. 

EXHORTATION TO WATCHFULNESS-Luke xii, 35-59. 

Reading Lesson : Luke xii, 35-59. Golden Text: Luke xii, 37. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Help, Lord, to whom for help I flv, 
And still my tempted soul stand by 
Throughout the evil day ; 


The sacred watchfulness impart. 
And keep the issues of my heart, 
And stir me up to pray. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What were the great lessons of our subject last Sunday ? 2. What 
is the subject to-day ? Christian watchfulness. 3. How should Chris¬ 
tians be all the time? Verse 35. 1 4. Why should Christians be ready 
for their Lord at any time? Verse 36. 2 5. What does Jesus say of 
those who shall be found watching and ready when he comes? Verse 
37, first part. 6 . What will the Lord Jesus do for his faithful servants ? 
Same verse, second part. 3 7. What does he say of the need of being 
always ready? Verse 38. (The second and third watch.) 8. Ilow 
does he illustrate the necessity of constant watchfulness? Verse 39. 
9. What does Jesus say to us every one ? Verse 40, first part. 10. Ho 
we know when we may be called out of this world ? Same verse. (Now 





64 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

read the parable of the rich fool in this chapter. Verses 16-20.) 

11. What question did Peter ask Jesus? Verse 41. 12. Jesus answers 

with a question : What is it? Verse 42. (The lesson was for all then 
present and for all of us.) 13. Who only is blessed ? Compare verses 
42 and 43. 14. What is promised to the “faithful and wise steward? ” 

Verse 44. 15. How does an unfaithful and foolish steward think of 

these things? Verse 45. 1G. What may such a servant certainly ex¬ 
pect? Verse 46. 17. Who shall be beaten with many stripes ? Verse 

47. 18. Who shall be beaten with few stripes? Verse 4s, 4 first part. 

19. What is the general law of responsibility ? Same verse, second part. 

20. Now read verses 49-53. (The teacher should show that such divis¬ 

ions and persecutions are not the proper etfects of the Gospel, but the 
proof of man’s hatred to it.) 21. Iiow did they read weather-signs? 
Verses 54, 55. 22. But they would not read aright the signs of the time 
of salvation that God had sent them. Verses 56, 57. 23. How does 

our lesson close ? Verses 58, 59. 5 

1 The Orientals use girdles to secure their long, flowing garments when at work, 
or on the march. 

2 When the lamented pastor of Trinity Methodist Church, Savannah, Ga., the Rev. 
Dr. E. H. Myers, came to die, during the yellow-fever plague ol' iS7(>, he said: ‘‘I 
am ready; I have been for a long time.” 

3 lie hath already served us, ever since he took upon him the firm of a servant; 
he is continually serving us in long-forbearance, putting on our garments and wash¬ 
ing our feet—else we should iind it hard to believe what he here saith.— Stier. 

4 This is not to be taken absolutely, but comparatively—he that knew not so fully 
his Lord’s will, who had not received instructions so explicit. We must suppose 
some general knowledge or there would be no pretense for inflicting stripes at all.— 
Watson. The degree of light is the measure of responsibility. Read Matt, xi, 20-24. 

5 One thought pervades this discourse, namely, decision for Christ as against hie 
adversaries, and in view of the judgment-day. —Wiiedon. 


LESSON XLVI. 

THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER, Matt, xiii, 1-23, (Compare 

carefully Mark iv, 1-20, and Luke viii, 4-15 ,Y 

Reading Lesson : Matt, xiii, 1-23. Golden Text: Matt, xiii, 23. 

LESSON HYMN. 

To seek thee all our hearts dispose, I And let the seed thy servant sows, 

To each thy blessings suit; | Produce abundant fruit 

QUESTIONS. 

1. What is the subject of our lesson to-day? See above. 2. We 
have here a great sermon : who preached it? Verse 1. 3. Where was 

the sermon preached? what sort of pulpit did Jesus have? where was 
the congregation? Verses 1, 2. 4. How did Jesus teach the people? 
Verse 3, first part. 5. What is a parable? 2 6. What is said about the 
sower? Verse 3. 7. Tell what you know about sowing wheat, pre¬ 

paring the ground, scattering the seed, etc. 8. Where did some of the 
seed tail,and what became of it? Verse 4. 9. What else happened to 

this seed? Luke viii, 5. 10. Could this seed ever bring forth fruit? 

11. How does Jesus explain this part of the parable? Repeat verse 19. 

12. What is meant by “the wicked one” in this verse? Luke viii, 12. 

13. Who is like this way-side hearer? The man who does not pay 
attention to the Gospel he hears—who forgets when he ceases to hear. 3 




JESUS, THE CHRIST. 65 


14. Where did other seed fall, and what happened very soon? Matt, 
xiii, 5. 15. What became of the wheat that grew on the stony places? 

Verse 6. 1G. Why did it perish so soon?' Same verse.- '(Perhaps 

some of the class have seen such ground — let them describe it.) 
17. IIow does Jesus explain this part of the parable? Repeat verses 
20, 21. 4 18. What does “offended,” verse 21, mean? That such peo¬ 

ple lose their religion and become backsliders. (The teacher should 
illustrate from nature and human experience, showing the worthlessness 
of wheat and of professions that have “no root.”) 19. Where did 
other seed fall? Verse 7, first part. 20. What did the thorns do? 
Same verse. 21. Have you ever seen anything like this? 22. How 
did Jesus explain this? Repeat verse 22. 5 23. With Matt, xiii, 22, 
compare Mark iv, 19 and Luke viii, 14. (These verses show how “the 
world” interferes with growth in grace.) 24. Are not all in danger 
from these things? 25. What is said of the seed which fell into “good 
ground ? ” Verse 8. 26. How does Jesus explain this ? Repeat verse 23. 8 
27. What now is the “seed?” Luke viii, 11. 28. Did the disciples 

ask Jesus to explain the parable? Mark iv, 10. 29. What does Jesus 

say to us all ? Mark iv, 9. 30. Teacher may read and explain Matt, 

xiii, 10-17. 7 

1 Let the teacher set an example of diligence by carefully comparing the three 
versions of this parable; the lesson cannot be otherwise rightly understood. 

2 The word parable is derived from para , near, and hallo , to throw, and conveys 
the idea of placing two things near together. Parkhurst’s definition is: “ A compari¬ 
son, similitude, or simile, in which one thing is compared with another, and particularly 
spiritual things with natural, by which means such spiritual things are best under¬ 
stood, and make the deeper impression on the honest and attentive hearer, at the 
same time that they are concealed from the gross, carnal, and inattentive.” 

3 John Wesley, in showing how the devil takes away the word, says: “Either 
inwardly—filling the mind with thoughts of other things—or by his agent. Such 
are all they that introduce other subjects, when men should be considering what 
they have heard.” 

4 There is many a soul with a surface soft and yielding, but a nature truly hard at 
bottom. In such the shallow emotions are quickly stirred, but their deeper nature 
remains untouched.—W hedox. The heat of the sun brings the well-rooted plant 
to maturity; it destroys that which has “no root in itself.” Persecutions establish 
those who are “rooted and grounded;” they “offend”—destroy—the shallow-rooted. 

5 The image of our evil growth strangling a nobler is permanently embodied in 
our language in the name cockle, given to a weed well-known in our fields—derived 
from the Anglo-Saxon clocan , to choke.—T rench. 

6 The four classes represented in this parable may change their places, as they use 
or neglect the means of grace that God has appointed. As to the measures of in¬ 
crease, they give the idea simply of an abundant harvest. Herodotus mentions 
wheat in the region about Babylon that produced two hundred fold. 

7 Illustrating this paragraph, Stiek quotes a pretty saying from VanGerloch: 
“ A parable is like the pillar of cloud and fire, which turned the dark side to the 
Egyptians, the bright side to the people of the covenant. It is like a shell which 
keeps the precious kernel as well for the diligent as from the indolent” 

- 4 » » - -- 


LESSON XLVII. 


THE PARABLE OF THE TARES. Matt, xiii, 24-30; 36-43. 


Reading Lesson: Matt, xiii, 18-43. 

LESSON 

Thou canst not toil in vain: 

Cold, heat, and moist, and dry, 

Shall foster and mature the grain, 

For garners in the sky: 

No. l. 


Golden Text: Matt, xiii, 43. 

HYMN. 

Thence, when the final end, 

The day of God is come, 

The angel reapers shall descend, 

And heaven sing, “Harvest home!” 





66 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. Wliat four classes of hearers were described in our last lesson ? 

2. What is our subject to-day ? See above. 3. Jesus was still in the 
ship preaching to the crowd standing on the beach: what is said in 
verse 24? (Kingdom of heaven.) 4. What did the disciples do when 
the sermon was over and Jesus had sent the people home ? Verse 36. 

5. Who did Jesus say was represented by the sower of the good seed? 
Verse 37. 6. Who is “the Son of man?” Our Lord Jesus Christ. 

7. What happened to the farmer’s field while “ men slept ? ” Verse 25. 

8. What are tares ? 1 9. What is the field? Who are represented by 

the good seed? and who by the tares? 2 Verse 38. 10. When did the 

tares show themselves ? Verse 26. 11. What did the servants do and f 

ask ? Verse 27. 12. How did the owner of the field explain the pres¬ 
ence of the tares? Verse 28, first part. 13. Who is this enemy? 
Verse 39, first part. 14. What did the servants wish to do? Verse 28, 
second part. 15. Why did the owner of the field not allow the serv¬ 
ants to root up the tares ? Verse 29. 16. What did he tell them to do? 

Verse 30, first part. 17. What did he say should be done in time of 
harvest? Same verse. 18. What does the harvest represent? Verse 
39, middle part. 19. Who are the reapers? Same verse. 20. What 
shall be in the end of the world? Verse 40. 21. What will the Son of 
man do in the last day ? Verse 41. (All things that offend.) 22. What 
shall be done with those who do iniquity ? Verse 42, first part. 23. How 
will these show their sorrow and torment ? Same verse. 24. The good 
wheat represents true Christians: what is said of them in the last day ? 
Verse 43. 25. What closing words in this parable are addressed to 
every one of us ? Verse 43, last part. 3 26. Who is represented as the 
world’s final judge ? 4 


1 Some call it darnel , or cheat; a sort of weed that looks much like wheat par¬ 
ticularly at first, and injures it much. “The tare,” says Dr. Thomson, “abounds 
all over the East, and is a great nuisance to the farmer.” 

2 As the former parable describes the planting of the dispensation, so this describes 
its struggle with evil in the world till the judgment-day.— Whedon. 

3 The parable must be understood as not referring at all to questions of Church 
discipline.— W atson. 

4 Jesus Christ.—Compare 1 Cor. xv, 24; Matt, xi, 27; xxviii, 18; John v, 22; 
xiii, 3; Acts ii, 36; xvii, 31; Rom. xiv, 10, etc. 


--*♦<«»- 

LESSON XIVIII. 

THE GRAIN OP MUSTARD SEED. Matt, xiii, 31, 32; (com¬ 
pare Mark iv, 30-34, and Luke xiii, 18, 19.)—THE LEA YEN 
HID IN THE MEAL. Matt, xiii, 33-36; (compare Luke xiii, 
20, 21.)—THE SEED GROWING SECRETLY. Mark iv, 26-29. 

Reading Lesson : Mark iv, 21-41. Golden Text: Rev. xi, 15. 

LESSON HYMN. 

Thy loving, powerful Spirit shed, I Or haste throughout the lump to spread 
And speak our sins forgiven, | The sanctifying leaven. 

No. 1. 




JESUS, TIIE CHRIST. 


G7 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What can you tell of last Sunday’s lesson? 2. What three para¬ 
bles do we study to-day ? 1 See above. 3. What is meant by “ kingdom 
of heaven,” Matt, xiii, 31? The Gospel and its work in the heart and 
in the world. 4. What is this kingdom like? 5. What is mustard? 
6. What is said of its seed? Matt, xiii, 32. (Mustard seed was the 
least of planted seeds the Jews were familiar with.) 7. What is said 
of its growth ?2 Same verse. 8. What does this show? The great 
growth of religion from small beginnings. (The teacher should illus¬ 
trate from the growth of Christianity among nations and individuals.) 

9. Does Mark speak of other parables than those he records? See 
Mark iv, 33. (The second in our lesson to-day he does not give.) 

10. What is the parable of the leaven ? 3 Matt, xiii, 33. 11 . What is 

leaven, and why is it used? 12. How much was three measures of 
meal? About one peck and a half. 13. Does the yeast, or leaven, 
change the dough? Make it like the yeast? 14. How is the Gospel 
like the leaven ? It so works in the willing heart as to make it like 
itself. 15. How are our hearts different from the dough? The dough 
cannot hinder the yeast from working, but we can hinder the Gospel. 
1G. To what extent can we hinder it? 1 Tliess. v, 19. 17. Now turn 

to Mark iv: what does Jesus say the kingdom of heaven is like ? 
Verse 26. (Mark only gives this parable.) 18. What does he say of 
the growing of the planted seed? Verse 27. 19. How does the eorn 

grow? Verse 28. 20. When is the sickle thrust in? Verse 29. 

21. W hat does this parable teach us? One lesson is patience; we are 
not to give up trying to do good because we do not succeed in a day. 

22. How long does the farmer have to wait before he can get bread out 
of the seed he sows? 23. What other lesson does the parable teach us ? 
Faith in the Gospel—that it will do its work. 24. The farmer sows 
seed: would it come to any thing if God did not send the sunshine and 
the rain? 25. What does this teach us? To do our duty, and expect 
God to bless us. 26. Can you illustrate this ? It is tiie preacher’s 
business to preach the truth ; God promises to bless his work. 27. Can 
we do any good without God’s blessing? 28. Has Jesus promised to 
help us? Matt, xxviii, 19, 20. 


1 In the parable of the sower the disciples saw that three parts perished; in the 
parable of the tares they saw other hinderances to gospel work; the three parables 
of our present lesson were for their encouragement. Christ’s kingdom, in spite of 
difficulties, discouragements, and losses, will flourish and at last prevail. 

2 A Spanish traveler says: “TJhe mustard-tree thrives so rapidly in Chili that it is 
as big as one’s arm, and so high and thick that it looks like a tree. I have traveled 
many leagues through mustard groves which were taller than horse or man ; and 
the birds built their nests there, as the Gospel mentions.” But the literal sense is 
not to be pressed, the mustard seed being a well-known Jewish type for any thing 
exceedingly small. See Luke xvii, 6. It is not simply the ultimate greatness of the 
kingdom, but that greatness as contrasted with its small and despised beginnings. 

3 In this parable the woman is the symbol of the divine agency, [the sower was a 
man, because sowing wheat was a man’s business, as bread-baking was a woman’s,] 
the meal is the human heart, the leaven is the Gospel.— Whedon. As the dough is 
internally related to the leaven, so is the man internally related to the kingdom of 
God.— Braune. Till the whole was leavened —Thus will the Gospel leaven the 
world, and grace the Christian.— Wesley. 

No. l. 



68 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


LESSON XLIX. 

THE HID TREASURE—THE GOODLY PEARL—THE NET 
GATHERING OP EVERY KIND. Matt, xiii, 44-52. 

Reading Lesson: Matt, xiii, 31-58. Golden Text: Prov. xxiii, 23. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Yain, delusive world, adieu, 

With all of creature good! 

Only Jesus I pursue. 

Who bought me with his blood! 


All thy pleasures I forego, 

I trample on thy wealth and pride: 
Only Jesus will I know, 

And Jesus crucified. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. What did Jesus do when he had ended the parable of the leaven 
hid in the meal? Verse 36. 2. What did the disciples ask when the 

people were gone away? Same verse. 3. Jesus then explained the 
parable of the tares, and delivered three parables to the disciples : which 
were they ? See above. 1 4. To what does Jesus liken the kingdom of 
heaven?" Verse 44. 5. How is the Gospel hidden from men? By sin 

and unbelief. G. IIow may they find Gospel treasure? By searching 
for it. 7. What is the great lesson of this parable? It teaches us to 
give up forever every tiling which comes between us and God. 8. What 
does Solomon say of the true wisdom? Prov. iii, 15. 9. What is the 

experience of a man who has found the great treasure of true religion ? 
Rom. v, 1-5. 10. What is the kingdom of heaven like? Verse 45. 

11. What does the pearl-seeker do? Verse 46. 12. What are pearls ? 

Are some pearls very costly and beautiful? 13. What does the pearl- 
seeker represent? A man seeking the highest good. 14. Can we find 
this in money ? fine houses ? fine clothes ? fine living ? pleasures ? honors ? 
in any thing earthly? 15. What is this pearl that is worth every thing 
else?" The religion of Jesus Christ. 2 16. Can you state the parable of 
the net? Repeat verses 47, 48. 17. What is a net? 18. What does 

the net represent? The Church. 19. What are the fishermen? Preach¬ 
ers and all Christian workers. 20. The sea? The world of men. 
21. What does the parable teach us ? That we need not be surprised if 
a bad man gets into the visible Church. 22. IIow will the good and bad 
fish—men—be divided at the end of the world ? Verse 49. 23. What 
will be the final and everlasting fate of those who will not be saved 
from sin by Christ? Verse 50. 3 24. What did Jesus ask his disciples 
when he had ended these parables? Verse 51. 25. What did his 

disciples answer? Verse 52. 4 


1 The three following parables are proposed, not to the multitude, but peculiarly 
to the apostles. The two former of them relate to those who receive the Gospel; the 
third, both to those who receive, and those who preach it.— Wesley. 

2 0 what a gracious word about buying , when yet the price consists only in our 
entire poverty, debt, and misery! But what righteousness and truth in this, that 
the pearl is yet so dear, and assuredly in no other way to be obtained! What in 
earthly things were a foolish whim, is here the highest wisdom. —Stier. 

3 The leading idea of this parable is the ultimate separation of the holy and the 
unholy in the Church, with a view to the selection of the former for the Master's 
use.— Ai.fokd. 

4 The true gospel teacher (clerical or lay) who understands Bible doctrine and has 
a true experience of religion will bring forth, for the “ edification ” of his hearers, 
“ things new and old.” He will not seek after mere novelties. Such as do this sel¬ 
dom have either doctrine or experience. 

No. ). 



69 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 


LESSON L, 


IS NOT THIS THE CARPENTER’S S0N?-Matt. xiii, 53-58; 

Mark vi, 1-6. 

Reading Lesson: Mark vi, 1-29. Golden Text: Gal. vi, 14. 


LESSON HYMN. 


Hail! thou once despised Jesus, 
Hail, thou Galilean King! 

Thou didst suffer to release us; 
Thou didst free salvation bring. 


Worship, honor, power, and blessing, 
Thou art worthy to receive; 
Loudest praises, without ceasing, 
Meet it is for us to give. 


QUESTIONS. 

1. The parables we have been studying were delivered near Caper¬ 
naum: what did Jesus do when he had "ended them? Matt, xiii, 53. 
2. Where did he go ? Verse 54. 1 (Nazareth. ) 3. What was his own 
country? Matt, ii, 23. 4. What did Jesus do on the sabbath day? 

Mark vi, 2, first part. 5. Did many hear his preaching? Same verse. 
6 . What w'as their feeling when they heard him? (Compai*e Matt, vii, 
28, 29.) 7. What questions did they first ask among themselves? Same 
verse. 8. What did they ask about Jesus, his former life, and his 
family? Verse 3. 9. How are the same questions asked in Matt, xiii, 

55, 56? (No doubt they asked all of these questions.) 10. Had Jesus 
been educated in the great schools ? John vii, 15. 11. It is most likely 

that Jesus, while living in Nazareth, worked at the carpenter’s trade : 2 
what does this teach us ? The duty and honorableness of labor. 12. Is 
not idleness a sin ? 13. What does St. Paul say of people who will not 

work? 2 Tliess. iii, 10. 14. What more is said of their feeling toward 

Jesus ? Matt, xiii, 57, first part, (offended in him.) 15. How did Jesus 
rebuke their hardness of heart and bitter prejudices? Same verse. 
1G. What did Jesus think of their unbelief? Mark vi, 6. 17. Did he 

work many miracles in Nazareth? Matt, xiii, 58. 18. Why not? Same 
verse. 19. What miracles did Jesus perform in Nazareth? Mark vi, 5. 
20. Matthew says “ did not ” : how does Mark express it? 3 21. Why 
did he heal a few sick people? No doubt because they had faith. 
22. What does it all teach us ? That unbelief keeps away from us the 
blessings of God. 

1 lie had visited Nazareth and preached to his townsmen before this time. Luke 
iv. 10-30. Stier says, in reply to some who make the visit described in our lesson 
to-day identical with that described in Luke iv: “The denial of his return once 
more, strikes out of his life a trait as beautiful as it is significant. It can scarcely be 
thought that he had at once altogether given up his unhappy Nazareth for its first 
sin, though that sin was certainly a grievous one.” 

2 Joseph, who was, perhaps, dead by this time, had been well known as the village 
carpenter; and as the Jewish canons required every boy to learn some trade, it is 
quite reasonable to suppose that Jesus followed that of Joseph. Alford says: 
“ The expression does not seem to be used at random, but to signify that Jesus 
actually worked at the trade of his reputed father.” And Burkitt: “This we 
may be sure of, that our Lord lived not thirty years before his manifestation idly and 
unprofitably.” The persons mentioned here may have been his “cousins,” the Jews 
extending the word brother to other degrees of kinship. Thus: Gen. xiii, 8: 
xxix, 12; Lev. x, 4. They may have been his half-brothers and sisters without 
trenching upon the doctrine of his miraculous conception. There is no reason for 
believing that Mary was at once a wife and a nun. 

3 Could there do no mighty work— Not consistently with his wisdom and good¬ 
ness. It being inconsistent with his wisdom to work them there, where it could not 
promote his great end; and with his goodness, seeing he well knew his countrymen 
would reject whatever evidence could be given them. And, therefore, to have given 
them more evidence would qnly have increased their damnation.— Wesley. By 

Np: b 




70 


JESUS. THE CHRIST. 


unbelief and contempt of Christ, men stop the current of his favors to them, and put 
a bar in their own door.— IIenry. The glimpse which this history gives of the 
“outer conditions of the life of Jesus ” shows how impossible it is that a mere man 
could have taught such doctrines and have lived such a life, to say nothing of his 
prophecies and miracles. u The facts —the unmiraculous facts of his human life— 
furnish and sustain the proof of his divinity.” 


LESSON LI. 

HEROD’S OPINION OP JESUS-THE MURDER OF JOHN THE 
BAPTIST. Matt, riv, 1-14j Mark vi, 14-29; 

Luke ix, 7-9. 

Rending Lesson : Matt, xiv, 1 - 21 . Golden Text : Matt, x, 39. 

LESSON HYMN. 

Sure I must fight if I would reign; I Thy saints, in all this glorious war, 
Increase my courage, Lord; | Shall conquer, though they die* 

I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain, I They see the triumph from afar, 

Supported by thy word. | By faith they bring it nigh. 

QUESTIONS. 

1. The whole land was filled with the fame of Jesus: who heard of 
him ? Verse 1. 2. What Herod was this ? Herod Antipas, son of that 

Herod who killed the little children in Bethlehem. (Tetrarch.) 3. What 
did Herod say of Christ? Verse 2, first part. 4. But John was dead: 
how could Herod believe this ? Same verse, second part. 5. What did 
some others think ? Mark vi, 15. G. What does St. Luke say of Herod’s 
feelings when he heard these wonderful things of Jesus ? Luke ix, 7. 
(The bad man’s conscience smote him.) 7. Hid Herod wish to see Je¬ 
sus ? Luke ix, 9. 8. What was the first unjust and cruel thing that 

Herod did to John ? Matt, xiv, 3. 9. Who was Iderodias ? A bad 

woman, who left her own husband to live with Herod. (See Appendix.) 
10. Why is it said that John was imprisoned for her sake? She was 
very angry with John, and Herod imprisoned the good man to please his 
wicked wife. 11. Why was she so angry with John ? Verse 4. 1 12. It 
was very brave in John to tell these proud sinners the truth: what does 
the example teach us? To be true to conscience and to God at all haz¬ 
ards. 13. Why did Herod not kill John when he first put him in pris¬ 
on ? Verse 5. 14. What does St. Mark, chap, vi, 20, say of Herod’s 

feelings toward John, notwithstanding his cruel imprisonment of him? 
15. What did Herod do on his birthday? Mark vi, 21. 16. Who 

pleased Herod with her dancing? 2 Mark vi, 22. (Her name was Sa¬ 
lome.) 17. What foolish oath did this foolish and wicked king make ? 
Mark vi, 22, 23. 18. What did the dancing Salome do? Next verse. 

19. What did Ilerodias tell her daughter to ask ? Same verse. 20. What 
did Salome say to the king when she returned from advising with her 
mother? Verse 25. (A charger, a dish.) 21. How did Herod feel 
when he heard her savage request ? Verse 2fi. 22. Why would he not 
reject her wicked request ? Same verse. 3 23. What did the king do ? 
Verses 27, 28. 24. What did Salome do with her ghastly present? 

Mark vi, 28. 25. What did John’s disciples do ? Verse 29. * 26. Why 
did Jesus retire from Herod’s dominions ? Matt, xiv, 13. 

No. 1. 



71 


JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

1 This marriage was unlawful for three reasons: 1. Her former husband. Philip, 
(not the tetrarch, hut another son of Herod the Great, disinherited by his father,) 
half-brother to Antipas, was still living-. 2. The former wife of Antipas, the daugh¬ 
ter of Aretas, king of Arabia, was still living, in revenge of whose dishonor Aretas 
made war on Antipas, and. defeating, would have crushed him but for the emperor’s 
interference. 8. It was unlawful by Levit. xviii, 6. and by the law which forbade 
nephews to marry aunts, and uncles to marry nieces; for Herodias, besides being 
his sister-in-law, was also his niece, her father being Aristobulus, half-brother to An- 
lipas. Luke iii, 19, anticipating the history, tells us that John reproved Herod “for 
all the evils which he had done,” as well as for the incestuous marriage. 

2 Danced “before Herod” is. literally, “in the midst,” the spectators grouped 
around her. To do this was to forget the decorum and decency of a Jewish maid, as 
ihe dancing itself, at Herod’s feast, was putting dishonor upon her own father, Philip. 
But Salome was a true child of her debauched and blood-thirsty mother. 

3 Miserable king! hounded on by the rancor of Herodias and his pride in keeping 
his oath, and yet afraid of the people, who honored John, and, withal, suffering 
some qualms of conscience. Commenting on his flimsy casuistry about his foolish 
oath, which he should neither have made nor kept, one writer says: “So he mur¬ 
dered an innocent man from mere tenderness of conscience ! ” W iiedon says: “ A 
point of honor rises here. He must not flinch, but must keep his pledge before his 
honorable fellows. A duelist or a gambler is the very model of such a faith.” 

--- 

LESSON Lll. 

REVIEW LESSON. 

Reading Lesson : Matt, xiii, 1-23. Golden Text: Matt, xii, 52. 

I Bead carefully, during the week, the text of the different lessons, and be prepared 
for such questions as the teacher, or superintendent, or pastor, may ask.] 


LESSON HYMN. 


Lord, in the strength of grace, 
With a glad heart and free, 
Myself, my residue of days, 

1 consecrate to thee. 


Thy ransom’d servant, I 
Kestore to thee thy own ; 

And, from this moment, live or die, 
To serve my God alone. 


THE OUTLINE. 

XL Jesus Accused of Casting out Devils by Beelzebub.—His Answer. 
Matt, xii, 22-37; Mark iii, 20-30; Luke xi, 14-23.-The miracle-the 
.nan “ blind and dumb.” Accusation of the scribes and Pharisees. Our 
Lord’s answer, showing the absurdity, falseness, and wickedness of their 

Jij-j o 1*0*0 

XLI The Pharisees Seek a Sign .— Our Lord's Mother and Brethren. 
Matt, xii, 38-50; Mark iii, 31-35'; Luke viii, 19-21; xi, 16, 24-36.-The 
unbelieving Pharisees seeking a sign from heaven. Jesus condemns 
their unbelieving spirit. The unclean spirit seeking rest. Spiritual 

kl 'xLH Jesus Dines with a Pharisee , and publicly blesses a “ Woman that 
was a Sinner . ” Luke vii, 36-50.-The woman at Jesus’ feet The Phar¬ 
isee’* thoughts. Jesus reads his heart, and rebukes his hardness by the 
T ‘arable of the two debtors. The woman dismissed with a blessing. _ 
XLIII. Jesus Dines with a Pharisee ancl Rebukes Hypocrisy. Luke xi, 

3 y _54 _The Pharisee’s wonder. Their hypocrisy and self-consequence 

exposed and rebuked. The unbelieving lawyers rebuked for teaching 

' 1 ' XLI Warnings against the Hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the Covet¬ 
ousness of the Worldling. Luke xii, 1-34. -The “ leaven of the I hansees, 

No. 1. 




72 JESUS, THE CHRIST. 

which is hypocrisy.” Courage in confessing Christ. An untimely re¬ 
quest. Farabi e of the rich fool. Exhortation to trust God’s care. 

XLV. Exhortation to Watchfulness. Luke xii, 35-59.—Be ye therefore 
ready also. The two stewards. Divisions occasioned, not caused, by 
the Gospel. The blindness of that generation. 

XLVI. The Parable of the Sower. Matt, xiii, 1-23; Mark iv, 1-20; 
Luke viii, 4-15.—The parable. Our Lord’s interpretation. 

XLVII. The Parable of the Tares. Matt, xiii, 24-30, 36-43. The par¬ 
able. Our Lord’s interpretation. 

XLV1II. The Grain of Mustard Seed. Matt, xiii, 31, 32; Mark iv, 
30-34; Ltike xiii, 18, 19 .—The Leaven Hid in the Meat. Matt, xiii, 33-36 ; 
Luke xiii, 20, 21.— The seed growing secretly. Mark iv, 26-29. 

XLIX. The Hid Treasure. The Goodly Pearl. The Net Gathering of 
Every Kind. Matt, xiii, 44r-52. 

L. Is not this the Carpenter's Son? Matt, xiii, 53-58; Mark vi, 1-6.— 
Nazareth revisited. The Nazarenes wonder at the wisdom of Jesus. 
Talk of his obscure parentage and circumstances in life. They reject 
him the second time. Few miracles wrought there because of their 
unbelief. 

LI. Herod's Opinion, of Jesus. The Murder of John the Baptist. Matt, 
xiv, 1-14 ; Mark vi, 14-29; Luke ix, 7-9.—Herod’s opinion. Thought 
he was John the Baptist risen from the dead. Herodias—her hatred of 
John. The king’s birthday. Salome’s dancing. The rash promise. 
The great preacher murdered. His head in a charger. 

JNo. 1 . 


APPENDIX 


I. NAMES OF 1 PERSONS. 

Aa'ron, the brother of Moses and Miriam, and son of Amram and Joch- 
ebed. Num. xxvi, 59. He was three years older than Moses and sev¬ 
eral years younger than Miriam. Exod. ii, 4; vii, 7. First mentioned 
Exod. iv, 14. He was of the tribe of Levi and the first high-priest. 
Exod. xxix, etc. He died on Mount Plor, aged one hundred and three. 
Num. xxxiii, 39. Elizabeth was of the house of Aaron. Luke i, 5. 

A'bel, ( breath , vapor , transitoriness ,) second son of Adam, murdered 
by his brother. Gen. iv, 1-8. Our Lord speaks of him as the first 
martyr. Luke xi, 51; Matt, xxiii, 35. Paul celebrates his faith. Heb. 
xi, 4. 

A-bi'a-thar, a high-priest of the line of Ithamar, through Eli. Compare 
1 Sam. xiv, 3; xxii; xxiii, G, 9; xxx, 7; 1 Kings ii, 2G, 27; 1 Chron. 

xxiv, 3. 

A-bi'a, the same as Abijah, a descendant of Eleazar, the chief of the 
eighth course of priests. 1 Chron. xxiv, 1, 5, 10, 19, etc. 

A'bra-ham, (the father of a multitude,) the son of Terah, of Ur of the 
Chaldees, the progenitor of the Hebrew nation. See Gen. xi, 27- 

xxv, 10. 

Al-phe'us, the father of the apostle James the Less. Matt, x, 3; Mark 
iii, 18; Luke vi, 15; Acts i, 13. Believed to be identical with Cleo- 
phas, the husband of that Mary who stood by the cross with the moth¬ 
er of Jesus and others. John xix, 25. Another Alpheus, the father of 
Matthew. Mark ii, 14. 

An'drew, (Greek, Andreas , manly ,) one of the first called of the apostles, 
(John i, 40, Matt, iv, 18,) brother of Peter. He was of Bethsaida, 
and had been a disciple of John the Baptist. Compare John i, 41; 
Matt, x, 2, etc.; also John vi, 8; xii, 22. These scattered notices con¬ 
tain all that the Scriptures relate of him. 

Anna, an aged and saintly widow, a prophetess, Of the tribe of Asher. 
Luke ii, 36. 

Annas, a high-priest appointed by QuirinuSj Roman governor of Syria, 
(then including Judea,) A.D. 7. He was displaced by Valerius Gratus, 
A.D. 14. He lived to old age, having had five sons who were high- 
priests. Mentioned Luke iii, 2; John xviii, 13; Acts iv, 6. See 
Caiaphas. 

Ar-che-la'us, ( leading the people, the chief) son of Herod the Great by 
Malthace, a Samaritan woman, and with his brother, Herod Antipas, 
brought up in Rome. Herod left “the kingdom” to Archelaus by 
will, but Augustus Cesar allowed him only the title of ethnarch, prom¬ 
ising him the kingly dignity if he reigned well. He is mentioned 
Matt, ii, 22, and seems to have been like his father. He was banished 
to Vienne, Gaul, A.D. 6. where he is said to have died. 

Bar-thol'o-mew, one of the twelve apostles. Matt, x, 3; Mark iii, 18; 
Luke vi, 14; Acts i, 13. He was probably the same as Nathanael. 

Be-el'ze-bub, (or Beelzebul ,) the title of a heathen deity, to whom the 
Jews ascribed the sovereignty of evil spirits. Matt, x, 25; xii, 24, 27 ; 
Mark iii, 22; Luke xi, 15. “ The notices of Beelzebub are exclusively 

connected with the subject of demoniacs , a circumstance which may 
account for the subsequent disappearance of the name.” 

K-vni^—Kay'ya-fas— high-priest under Tiberius during our Lord’s 



74 


APPENDIX. 


public ministry and at the time of his crucifixion. Luke iii, 2 ; Matt, 
xxvi, 3, 57 ; John xi, 49; xviii, 13, 14, 24, 28; Acts iv, 6.. He was 
appointed by the procurator, Valerius Gratus. held his office during 
the rule of Pilate, and was deposed by Vitellius A.D. 36. He was 
son-in-law to Annas. The latter, though out of office, retained the title, 
and was evidently a man of influence. 

Ce'sar, Au-gus'tus, the name conferred on Octavianus, nephew of Julius 
Cesar. He was emperor of Rome at and before the birth of Christ, and 
died A.D. 14, aged seventy-six. 

Ce'sar, Ti-be'ri-us, the step-son and successor of Augustus, who reigned 
from A.D. 14-37, and died aged seventy-eight, being killed by suffoca¬ 
tion with bolsters. He was cruel and despotic. Mentioned Luke iii, 1. 

Chu'za, (properly, Churns,) the house'steward of Herod Antipas, whose 
wife, Joanna, was healed by Jesus. Luke viii, 2, 3. 

Cle'o-phas — Alpheus , which see. The Cleopas mentioned by Luke, xxiv, 
18, is believed by some to be the same, but this is unlikely. 

Cy-re’ni-us, the English rendering of the Greek Kurenios , which is the 
Greek form of the Roman Quirinus. He was consul B.C. 12, and 
made governor of Syria A.D. 6. But it is shown by Zumpt, of Berlin, 
in a long and very satisfactory argument, that he was twice governor 
of Syria; the first agreeing with Luke’s statement, chap, ii, 2. 

Da'vid, (Beloved,) the son of Jesse, the best known and the greatest of 
the kings of Israel. As to bis history read 1 Sam. xvi-1 Kings ii, and 
parallels in Chronicles. He had the high honor of being both a repre¬ 
sentative and ancestor of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ezek. xxxiv, 23, 24, 
etc. Jesus is often spoken of as “ the son of David.” 

E-li'jah, in the New Testament, E-li'as, (My God is Jehovah ,) one of 
the greatest of the prophets. He was a ‘‘ Tishbite of the inhabitants 
of Gilead.” As to his history read 1 Kings xvii, xix-2 Kings ii. 
As to New Testament allusions, compare Luke i, 17; iv, 26; ix, 30; 
Mark vi, 15; ix, 4; Matt, xvi, 14; xvii, 1,11 ; John i, 21; James v, 17. 

E-li'sha, in the New Testament Eliseus, (God his salvation,) son of 
Shaphat, attendant and successor of Elijah. Read 1 Kings xix, 16; 
2 Kings xiii, 21. He is mentioned Luke iv, 27. 

Ga'bri-el, (man of God.) The word, which is not in itself distinctive, 
but merely a description of the angelic office, is used as a proper name 
or title in Dan. viii, 16; ix, 21; and in Luke i, 19, 26. In the ordina¬ 
ry Jewish and Christian traditions Gabriel is spoken of as one of the 
archangels. In Scripture he is set forth only as the representative of 
the angelic nature in its manifestion of comfort ana sympathy for 
man.— Smith’s Comprehensive Dictionary, (edited by Barnum.) 

. IIer'od. 1. Herod the Great, son of Antipater and Cypros, an Arabian. 
The Herods were of Idumean descent, but they were Jews in faith. 
Herod, called “the Great,” was made king of Judea by the Roman 
senate, and reigned nearly forty years, with great rigor and cruelty. He 
repaired Jerusalem and beautified it; he built the magnificent temple 
that was in existence in the time of Christ. (John ii, 20.) Matt, ii, 
16-18 shows his true character. He died in great agony soon after the 
slaughter of the Bethlehem babes. 2. Herod Antipas, son of Herod 
the Great by Malthace, a Samaritan. He was made tetrarch of Galilee. 
New Testament mention of him: Luke iii, 1, 19; ix, 7; Matt, xiv, 
1-10 ; Mark vi, 14^20; Luke xxiii, 7-12; Acts xiii, 1. 3. Herod 
Philip I., son of Herod the Great and Mariamne, and must be distin¬ 
guished from the Philip mentioned next. This Philip married He- 
rodias, sister of Agrippa I., by whom he had a daughter, Salome. Ile- 
rodias left him and made an infamous marriage with his half-brother, 
Herod Antipas. He was excluded from all share in his father’s pos¬ 
sessions. 4. Herod Philip II., son of Herod the Great and Cleopatra. 


APPENDIX. 


75 


He had the title of tetrarch, ruling Batanea, Trachonitis, Auranitis, 
(Gauloriitis,) and some parts about Jamnia. He built Oesarea Philippi. 
(Matt, xvi, 13; Mark viii, 27.) He married Salome, daughter of 
Hei-od Philip I. and Herodias. 5. Herod Agrippa /., son of Aristo- 
bulus and Berenice and grandson of Herod the Great. The Roman 
emperor gave him the tetrarchies of Philip and Lysanias, and on the 
banishment of Antipas his dominions were added to those of Agrippa. 
He is mentioned Acts xii, 1 , etc. 6. Herod Agrippa II ., son of Herod 
Agrippa I. and Cypros, grand-niece of Herod the Great. He was, after 
his father’s death, tetrarch of the regions ruled formerly by Philip and 
Lysanias. He is mentioned Acts xxv, xxvi. 

IIe-ro'di-as, daughter of Aristobulus, granddaughter of Herod the Great, 
sister of Agrippa I. See above, Herod Philip. 

I-sai'ah, in "the New Testament, Esaias, {salvation, of Jehovah.,) the 
prophet, the son of Amos. Little is known of his family or history. 
Ilis prophecies are often quoted or referred to in the New Testament, 
thus: Matt, iii, 3; Luke iv, 17 ; Acts viii, 28; Rom. x, 16, 20, etc. 

Ja'cob, (supplanter,) son of Isaac and Rebekah. His history is related 
in the latter half of Genesis. 

Ja-i'rus, a Jew, ruler of a synagogue in some town on the Sea of Galilee. 
Jesus raised his daughter to life. Matt, ix, 18; Mark v, 22; Luke 
viii, 41, etc. 

James, the son of Alpheus , one of the twelve apostles, called the Lord’s 
brother, probably a cousin, the Jews calling cousins brothers very gen¬ 
erally. Mark vi, 3 ; Gal. i, 19. He is called James “the Less,” Mark 
xv, 40, why is unknown. He was one of the apostles of the circum¬ 
cision, (Gal. ii, 9,) and was of great reputation among the apostles. 
Acts xv, 13. The Epistle of James is generally credited to him. 

James, the son of Zebedee , one of the twelve apostles. Matt, x, 2; Mark iii, 
17; Luke vi, 13; Acts i, 13. He and his brother John were called 
“ sons of thunder.” Their burning and impetuous spirit twice exhib¬ 
ited itself in an unchastened form. Luke ix, 54; Mark x, 37. He, 
with Peter and John, was honored by our Lord with special confi¬ 
dence—at the raising of Jairus’s daughter, at the transfiguration, and 
in Gethsemane. He suffered martyrdom under Herod Agrippa I. 
Acts xii, 1. 

John, one of the twelve apostles. (See references above.) He was one 
of the sons of Zebedee, a Galilean, and a fisherman, with his brother 
James, before his call to follow Christ. He wrote the fourth gos¬ 
pel, the three epistles that bear his name, and the apocalypse. He is 
pre-eminently honored in being described as “that disciple whom 
Jesus loved.” He is believed to have been a long time settled in 
Ephesus in Asia Minor. Tradition says he was thrown into a vat of 
boiling oil without injury. He was banished to Patmos, a rocky 
island in the Mediterranean. On the accession of Nerva it is said that 
he returned to Ephesus. He is believed to have lived to be nearly 
one hundred years old, and to have been the only one of the twelve 
that died a natural death. 

Jo'nah, in New Testament, Jonas , {a dove,) a prophet who flourished 
about 800 B.C. See his prophecy. Mentioned in the New Testament: 
Matt, xii, 39-41 ; xvi, 4; Luke xi, 29. 

Jo'seph, a son of Heli, of the lineage of David, a just man, the husband 
of Mary, and the reputed father of Jesus. Matt, i, 20; ii, 13, 19; Luke 
i, 27. He is believed to have died some time before our Lord’s cruci¬ 
fixion. 

Jo’ses, one of the Lord’s kinsmen. Matt, xm, 55; Mark vi, 3, etc. 

Ju'das Is-car'i-ot, one of the twelve, sometimes called the “son of Si¬ 
mon,” (John vi, 71; xiii, 2, 26,) but commonly Iscariot. (Matt, x, 4; 


APPENDIX. 


76 

Mark iii, 19; Luke vi, 16, etc.) “ Iscariotesf says Summers,. “ is 
probably the Greek form of the Hebrew ish-herioth , a man of Kerioth, 
a town in the south of Judah, (Josh, xv, 25,) where Judas was proba¬ 
bly born.” Each one of the evangelists relates his treason in selling 
Jesus. (See also Acts i, 16-25.) 

Ju'das, also called Lebbeus-Thaddeus , one of the twelve apostles. (See 
references above.) In Luke vi, 16, and Acts i. 13, he is called “ Judas 
the brother of James.” He is alluded to in John xiv, 22. He is be¬ 
lieved to be the author of the epistle ascribed to Jude, where the 
writer speaks of himself as “Jude, [Judas,] the servant of Jesus 
Christ, and brother of James.” Nothing is certainly known of his 
later history. 

Ly-sa'ni-as, tetrarch of Abilene, (Luke iii, 1,) probably the son or grand¬ 
son of the Lysanias killed by Marc Antony. 

Mak'tha, a woman of Bethany, sister of Mary and Lazarus. Mentioned 
Luke x ; John xi, xii. She seems to have been the elder sister, and 
manager of the household. 

Ma'hy, the mother of Jesus. The Greek form is Maria , the Hebrew 
Miriam. Legends abound concerning the mother of Jesus ; the facts 
of history are few. We know nothing of her childhood. She was of 
the tribe of Judah and lineage of David, (Psa. cxxxii, 11; Luke i, 
32; Kom. i, 3.) She had a sister also -named Mary, with, probably, 
some second name, the wife of Cleopas, (John xix, 25.) She was re¬ 
lated to Elisabeth, (Luke i, 36.) Luke i, 26-38, records the annuncia¬ 
tion ; i, 46-55, Mary’s hymn of praise. She is mentioned Matt, i, ii, 
Luke ii, in connection with the birth and childhood of Jesus. Four 
times is the vail removed from her from the time of our Lord’s en¬ 
trance upon his ministry: John ii; Matt, xii, 46, and parallels; at 
the crucifixion ; Acts i, 14. After Acts i, 14 there is not a word. The 
Romish superstitions rest on pure inventions. 

Mary, the wife of Cleopas. Sister of Mary the mother of Jesus. (See 
above.) She seems to be the “ Mary the mother of James and Joses,” 
(Matt, xxvii, 56 ;) and “ the mother of James the Less and of Joses 
and Salome,” (Mark xv, 40.) Of Joses and the daughters we know 
nothing. This Mary was at the tomb, (Matt, xxvii, 61, Mark xv, 47 ;) 
and again with sweet spices, Easter morning, (Matt, xxviii, 1 ; Mark 
xvi, 1; Luke xxiii, 56.) She was one of the witnesses who declared 
the resurrection of Jesus, (Luke xxiv, 23.) Cleopas and Joseph were 
both, probably, dead. 

Ma'ry Mag-da-le'ne. Her second name is, probably, derived from Mag- 
dala. She is first mentioned Luke viii, 1-3, in honorable company, 
as,“ which ministered unto him [Jesus] of their substance.” She had 
been delivered of “seven devils,” indicating demoniacal possession of 
more than ordinary malignity. But there is not a particle of evidence, 
or even intimation , that she was ever unchaste. Jesus had no truer, 
more loving friend and disciple than this Mary. Compare Matt, 
xxvii, 61; Mark xv, 47 ; Luke xxiii, 55; Mark xvi, 1; Matt, xxviii, 1; 
John xx, 1, etc. 

Ma'ry, the mother of Mark. (See Acts xii, 12 ; Col. iv, 10.) 

Ma'ry, sister of Lazarus. (See above, Martha. Also Luke x, 40 ; John 
xi; xii, 3.) 

Mat thew, [Math'thuf] one of the twelve apostles. Matt, x, 3; Mark 
iii, 18; Luke vi, 15 ; Acts i, 13. He was also called Levi, (Luke v, 
27-29,) and was the son of a certain Alpheus, (Mark ii, 14.) He was 
a “publican,” that is, a tax-collector for the Romans. “The publi¬ 
cans, properly so called, were persons who farmed the Roman taxes, 
and were usually, in later times, Roman knights, and persons of wealth 
and credit. They employed under them Inferior officers, natives of 


APPENDIX. 


77 


the province where the taxes were collected, called properly portitores, 
‘ receivers of customs,’ to which class Matthew, no doubt,* belonged.” 
—Comprehensive Dictionary. Matthew “gave a feast” to .Jesus, 
(Matt, ix, 9, 10 ; Mark ii, 14, 15 ; Luke v, 29.) Nothing is known be¬ 
yond these brief notices, and the fact of his having written the first 
gospel. 

Na'a-man, a Syrian general healed of leprosy through the instrumen¬ 
tality of the prophet Elisha, (2 Kings v.) Ilis case is quoted by our 
Lord as an instance of mercy to one not of Israel, (Luke iv, 27.) 

Na-than'a-el, ( given of God,) a disciple, of whom, under this name, we 
know only what is mentioned in John i, 46-51, and xxi, 2. Many 
think that he is the same as Bartholomew. 

Nic-o-de'mus, ( conqueror of the people,) a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews, 
and a teacher of Israel, (John iii, 1-21.) He is mentioned also John 
vii, 50; xix, 39. 

Pi'late, Pon'ti-us, the sixth Roman procurator of Judea, appointed 
A. D. 25-26 by Tiberius Cesar. He is mentioned repeatedly in con¬ 
nection with our Lord’s crucifixion. Also by Luke, chap, iii, 1, and 
xiii, 1. He went to Rome, under complaints, A. D. 36, found a new 
emperor, Caius, (Caligula,) on the throne, and himself in disfavor. 
Eusebius says that soon afterward, “ wearied with misfortunes, he 
killed himself.” Concerning the place and mode of his death there 
are many worthless traditions. 

Ra'ciiel, the younger of Laban’s daughters, the second wife of Jacob, 
and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. (See Gen. xxix-xxxiii, xxxv.) 
Jer. xxxi, 15-17, has a beautiful passage which represents Rachel as 
weeping for the loss and captivity of her children. Matt, ii, 17, 18, 
applies this {o the slaughter of the infants of Bethlehem, her tomb be¬ 
ing close by. 

Sa-l’o'me, the wife of Zebedee, (Matt, xxvii, 56 ; Mark xv, 40.) She is 
alluded to Matt, xx, 20, and mentioned by name Mark xv, 40; xvi, 1. 
The “ daughter of Herodias” was named Salome. 

Sim'e-on, (a hearkening ,) a devout Jew who rejoiced in the coming of 
the Christ. Luke ii, 25-35. 

Si'mon Pe'ter, (Petros, a stone,) also called Cephas. He was one of the 
twelve apostles, (see above,) the son of Jonas, (Matt, xvi, 17, etc.) 
He and Andrew were brothers, and partners of John and James. His 
name is first in all the lists of the apostles. He was first among equals, 
holding no office and claiming no powers which did not belong to his 
brethren. His name appears throughout the gospels. He was, with 
James and John, honored with particular confidence. (See James.) 
An interesting and instructive passage of his life is. recorded by all 
four of the evangelists, (Matt, xxvi, 33-35; Mark xiv, 29-31; Luke 
xxii, 33, 34; John xiii, 36-38.) Closely following the warnings is the 
record of his fall. John xxi records his reinstatement. In Acts i-xii 
lie is most prominent among the apostles. Alter this we have little 
notice of him. (See Gal. ii. 7-9.) The early Christian writers say he 
suffered martyrdom, at or about the same time with Paul, in the Nero- 
nian persecutions. Origen says, that at his own request he was cruci¬ 
fied head downward. He was a married man, (1 Cor. ix, 5.) He 
was known as Cephas to the Corinthian Christians. He wrote two 
epistles. 

Si mon the Canaanite , one of the twelve apostles. He is also eallcd 
Simon Zelotes , (Luke vi, 15 ; Acts i, 13.) The latter term, peculiar to 
Luke, is the Greek equivalent for the Chaldee term employed by 
Matthew and Mark. It should have been Cananite, not Canaanite, as 
if to say Simon came from Canan. The term is from the Hebrew 
word Kuna, Aramean Kanan, zealous. (See the Commentaries.) Some 


78 


APPENDIX. 


think he was so named from belonging to a party among the Jews 
called the Zealots, who exhibited fanatical zeal for the laws of Moses. 

Si'mon the Lever, a resident of Bethany, one who had probably been 
healed by Jesus. (See Matt, xxvi, 6, etc. ; Mark xiv, 3, etc.; John 
xiii, 1, etc.) 

Si'mon, the brother of Jesus. (See Matt, xiii, 55 ; Mark vi, 3.) This is all. 

The-oph'i-lus, (f riend of God.) The person to whom St. Luke inscribed 
his gospel, (Luke i, 3,) and the Acts of the Apostles, (Acts i, 1.) 

Zach-a-ri'as, a devout priest of “ the course of Abia.” (See Abia.) The 
father of John the Baptist, (Luke i, 5, etc.) 

Zeb'e-dee, a fisherman of Galilee, the father of the apostles John and 
James, (Matt, iv, 21,) and the husband of Salome, (Mark xv, 40 ; Matt, 
xxvii, 56.) He appears only once,. (Matt, iv, 21, 22; Mark i, 19.) 


II. NAMES OF 1 PLACES.* 

Ab-i-le'ne, a small district of Palestine, among the eastern declivities 
of Anti-Libanus, mentioned Luke iii, 1 as being under the govern¬ 
ment of Lysanias. Abila was its capital, about eighteen miles north¬ 
east of Damascus. 

MTnon, (springs,) the place where John baptized; located by Dr. Bar¬ 
clay five miles north-east of Jerusalem. 

Beth-ab'a-ra, (place of passage , the ferry,) a place beyond Jordan, 
north-eastward from Jericho, where John baptized. John i, 28. 

Beth'a-ny, (house of dates,) a little village in sight of Jerusalem, ly¬ 
ing on the east slope of the Mount, of Olives, intimately associated 
with the most familiar scenes and acts of the last days of Christ. Here 
he raised Lazarus, and began his triumphal entry into Jerusalem ; 
here was his nightly resting place just before his passion; here he was 
parted from his disciples the day he ascended. Compare Matt, xxi; 
xxvi; Mark xi; xiv; Lukexix; xxiv; Johnxi; xii, etc. 

Betii'piiage, [pa-ge or page,] (house of figs,) a village adjoining Bethany. 
Matt, xxi, 1; Mark xi, 1; Luke xix, 29, etc. 

Beth'le-hem, (house of bread,) is nearly six miles south of Jerusalem, 
and is situated on a hill of limestone which runs east and w'est. its 
modern name is Beit-Lahm, its present population about 3,000. It was 
always an inconsiderable place. (See Micah v, 2.) Joshua does not 
mention it in his list. It was called “ the city of David.” Compare 
1 Sam. xvii, 12 ; xx, 6 ; Luke ii, 4. It is often mentioned in Old 
Testament history. Here Jesus was born, and here Herod slew the 
innocent babes, seeking to slay him who was “born king of the 
Jews.” 2. A town in Zebulun, (Josh, xix, 15,) not mentioned in New r 
Testament history. 

Beth'-sa'i-da, (house ox place of fishing,) a fishing town in Galilee, not 
far from Capernaum, on the western shore of the Lake of Genesareth. 
It was the city of Philip, Andrew, and Peter. John i, 44; xii, 21. 
Jesus healed a blind man here. Mark viii, 22. It was one of the 
cities upon which he pronounced woes because of the unbelief of the 
people. Luke x, 13. There is no conclusive evidence for the exist¬ 
ence of two places of this name, as some contend. Dr. Thomson 
thinks that, being near the entrance of the Jordan into the lake, it 
was built on both sides of the river. 

Ca'na, (reedy, a nest, or cave,) a village in Galilee, about nine miles north 

* In preparing these brief notes we have used quite freely Whitney’s “ Hand-Book 

of Bible Geography.” a most valuable book for Bible students. New York: Nel¬ 
son & Phillips. Price, 50. 







APPENDIX. 79 

of Nazareth. It was the home of Nathanael. Here Jesus performed 
two miracles. John ii, 1-11; iv, 46. 

Ca-per'na-um, (city of comfort, or consolation,) a town on the west side 
of the Lake of Genesareth. John vi ? 17; Luke iv, 31; Matt, iv, 13. 
It seems to have been a flourishing city in Christ’s day, but its de¬ 
struction was so complete that its site cannot be determined with cer¬ 
tainty. Jesus spent so much time in Capernaum that it was called 
“his own city.” Matt, ix, l; Luke iv } 16, 31, etc. Jesus performed 
many miracles here. Compare Matt, viii, 5,14; ix, 1; Mark i, 33, etc. 
Matthew was of Capernaum. Matt. ix. 9. A very beautiful incident 
occurred here. Compare Mark ix, 33 ; Matt, xviii, 1. Jesus delivered 
a remarkable discourse in the synagogue of Capernaum. John vi, 59, 
He uttered a fearful “ woe” upon Capernaum, which has been fearful 
ly fulfilled. 

Cho-ra'zin. The significance of the name is uncertain. So is its situ 
ation. It is connected with Bethsaida and Capernaum as being highly 
favored in the ministry of Jesus. It also shared their doom. Matt, xi, 
21: Luke x, 13. It was, probably, one of the lake towns. 

De-oap'o-lis, (the ten citits,) a sort of confederation composed of ten 
cities, without any close connection, favored with certain privileges by 
the Romans. The limits of the territory cannot be accurately defined. 
Geographers do not agree as to the names of the cities that composed 
Decapolis. Perhaps different cities at different times belonged to it. 
Plinv mentions the following: Damascus, Philadelphia, Raphana, 
Scytliopolis, Gadara, Hippos, Dion, Pella, Gerasa, and Canatha—all 
east of the Jordan except Scytliopolis. The population seems to 
have been mostly heathen. It is mentioned Matt, iv, 25; Mark v, 20; 

vii, 31. A great miracle was performed near one of these cities. 
Luke viii, 26, etc. Damascus alone of these cities is now of much 
importance. 

E'gypt, a celebrated country in north-eastern Africa. The flight of the 
holy family hither from Herod connects it with New Testament his¬ 
tory. Matt, ii, 14, 19. 

Gad'a-ra, a large and splendid city about six miles south-east of the 
extreme southern point of the Sea of Galilee, and about sixteen miles 
from Tiberias. On the shore of Galilee, in territory adjacent to this 
city, Jesus performed a great miracle: Matt, viii, 28 ; Mark v, 1; Luke 

viii, 26. Mark and Luke speak of the miracle as occurring in the 
land of the Gadarenes ; Matthew, Gergesencs. The best authorities 
are divided between the readings—Gergesenes, Gerasenes, Gadarenes. 
Tischendorf, Alford, Tregelles, etc., favor Gadarenes. 

Gal'i-lee, (a circle , or circuit,) a name given in Old Testament history 

; to a small “circuit” among the mountains of Naphtali. The Gali¬ 
lee of the New Testament embraces the whole of northern Palestine. 
It is first mentioned Josh, xx, 7. Solomon offered it to Hiram, who 
declined it; then Solomon rebuilt and colonized its towns. Compare 
1 Kings ix, 11, and 2 Chron. viii, 2, etc. It was called in Isaiah’s 
time “Galilee of the nations.” Isa. ix, 1. The Galilee of Christ’s 
time was about fifty miles long and twenty-five wide. It was then 
flourishing and populous, believed to have contained at that period 
about three million inhabitants. Much of our Lord’s ministry—in 
word and deed—is connected with Galilee. The first three gospels 
are mostly taken up with Christ’s work in Galilee: John says more 
of his work in Judea. The disciples were chiefly from Galilee. Acts 
i, 11; ii, 7. Christ appeared to his disciples in Galilee after his resur¬ 
rection. Compare Matt, xxvi, 32; xxviii, 7, 10, 16; Mark xiv, 28; 
xvi, 7; John xxi. 

Gal’i-lee, Sea of. This pretty lake is oval in shape, about fourteen 

6 


APPENDIX. 


SO 


miles lonaj and seven wide. The Jordan flows into and out of it. It 
is in the bottom of a volcanic basin, and is six hundred and fifty-three 
feet below the level of the Mediterranean Sea. In Num. xxxiv, 11, 
Deut. iii, 17, and Josh, xiii, 27, it is called “ Chinnereth,” from a 
town of that name perhaps near by. Josh, xix, 35. It was called Sea 
of Tiberias, from a city of that name on its shore; Genesareth from a 
beautiful plain of that name adjoining the lake. This lake is forever 
linked with the history of our Lord’s ministry. Compare Matt, iv, 13, 
18-22: xiii, 1-3; xiv. 22-33; xvii, 27 ; Mark vii, 31-35 ; John xxi, etc. 
Its shores are now almost deserted—all is in ruins. 

Ge-nes'a-retii, or Gen-nes'a-ret. (See Galilee, Sea. of.) 

Go-mor'rah, or Go-mor'rua, one of the five “cities of the plain.” Its 
site is not definitely known; supposed to be under the southern part 
of the Dead Sea. It was next to Sodom in importance and wicked¬ 
ness. It is mentioned Gen. xiv, 2-14. It was destroyed, with three 
sister cities, by fire from heaven. Gen. xix, 23-29. It is mentioned by 
Moses, Deut. xxix, 23; by the prophets, Isa. xiii, 19; Jer. 1,40; Zeph. 
ii, 9, etc. The wickedness of these cities was proverbial: Deut. xxxii, 
32: Da. i, 9, 10; Jer. xxiii, 14, etc. Mentioned by our Lord to de¬ 
scribe the wickedness and doom of the Galilean cities that rejected 
him: Matt, x, 15; Mark vi, 11. 

Id'u-me'a, the Greek form of the name Edom. Isa. xxxiv, 5, 6; Ezek. 
xxxv, 15; Mark iii, 8. “ The country of Edom was the southern con¬ 

tinuation of the east Jordan table-land, extending from the southern 
extremity of the Dead Sea to the north of the Elonitic Gulf.” It was 
the land driven to Esau. Edom fills a large place in Old Testament his¬ 
tory, the Edomites being nearly always bitterly hostile to Israel. Many 
prophecies were delivered against Edom. The Edomites rejoiced in 
the fall of Judah, and joined the Chaldeans in their invasion and op¬ 
pression. Ezek. xxxv foretold its desolation. All has been fulfilled. 

It-u-re'a, a small province of Syria. It was on the northern borders of 
Bashan, and belonged to the tetrarch’y of Philip, the brother of tho 
Herod mentioned Luke iii, 1. 

Jer'i-cho, {city of the moon, or place of fragrance,) was the largest city in 
the Jordan valley, and was about twenty miles north-east of Jeru¬ 
salem, on the west side of the Jordan, and north of its entrance into 
the Dead Sea. Its situation made it the chief commercial city of an¬ 
cient Canaan. It is first mentioned in Num. x.xii, 1. xxvi, 3,* the Is¬ 
raelites being then encamped in the plains of Moab over against it. 
It is often mentioned in the Old Testament after this. Sec particu¬ 
larly Josh, ii, iii, iv, vi, etc.; 2 Kings ii, 4, 5, 15, 19-21; xxv, 5, 
etc As to its New Testament connections, see Luke xix, 1; xviii, 
35-43; Matt, xx, 29-34; Mark x, 46-52. Jesus introduced it into a 
parable. Luke x, 30. 

Je-ru'sa-lem. ( habitation of peace,) the Jewish capital of Palestine. It 
has many names in Scripture, as Salem, (“peace,”) Gen. xiv, 18; 
Jehovah-jireh, (“the Lord will provide,”) Gen. x.xii, 14; Jebus, or 
Jebusi, (“the city of the Jebusite,” Josh, xviii, 28, Judg. xix, 10, etc.; 
Jerusalem, 2 Sam. v, 5. etc.; Zion, (dry, sunny mount,) 1 Kings viii, 1; 
City of God. Psa. xlvi, 4; Ariel, (lion of Clod , or altar of Clod,) Isa. 
xxix, 1; City of the Great King, Psa. xlviii, 2; City of Judah, 
2 Chron. xxv, 28; Iloly City, Nell, xi, 1-18; City of Solemnities, 
Isa. xxxiii, 20. In Gal. iv, 25, 26, and in lleb. xii, 22, Jerusalem is 
used symbolically. “ New Jerusalem.” Rev. iii, 12; xxi, 2. Jerusalem 
is situated on the central chain of limestone mountains running north 
and south through Palestine. It is about fifteen miles from the Dead 
Sea and the Jordan valley, and thirty-one miles from the Mediterra¬ 
nean Sea. It is nearly in the same parallel oflatitude with Savannah, Ga. 


APPENDIX. 


81 


David made it the civil and ecclesiastical metropolis when his throne 
had become firmly established over all Israel. The temple of' Solo¬ 
mon, who succeeded David, occupied seven years and a half in build¬ 
ing, and was dedicated B. C. 1004. In the fifth year of Rehoboam it 
was taken and plundered by Shishak, king of Egypt. 1 Kings xiv, 
25-28. During the reign of Joram the city was plundered by the 
Philistines and Arabians. 2 Cliron. xxi, 16, 17. Part of the wall was 
broken down by the king of Israel during the reign of Amaziah, and 
the temple plundered. 2 Kings xiv, 11-14; 2 Chron. xxv, 21-24. Under 
Hezekiah the city was prosperous, idolatry was destroyed, the temple 
and its worship restored. 2 Kings xviii, 1-8. Ilis successor, the wicked 
Manasseh, restored idolatry. His son, the good Josiah, restored the 
worship of God. About this period began the invasions of the Chal¬ 
deans under Nebuchadnezzar, who took the city and destroyed the 
temple about 595 B. C. About 536 B. C. Cyrus, the Persian con¬ 
queror, gave the captive Jews leave to return and rebuild Jerusalem. 
Ezra and Nehemiak record the efforts of the pious patriots to restore 
their city, and state, and religion. From the close of the Old Testa 
ment history Jerusalem was the victim of ambitious kings. About 
320 B.C. Ptolemy Soter, king of Egypt, took Jerusalem, the Ptolemies 
holding possession for nearly one hundred years. During this period 
the city was, for the greater part of the time, prosperous, and the re¬ 
ligion of the Jews observed. Antiochus the Great, king of Syria, 
wrested the rich prize from the Egyptians B. C. 203. During the 
reign of one of his successors, the execrable Antiochus Epiphanes, 
occurred fearful persecutions, and the heroic Maccabean wars. The 
Jews were not entirely free from their oppressors till B. C. 142, when 
the Syrian garrison at Acra was compelled, by famine, to surrender. 
The Roman general Poinpey conquered Syria 65 B. C., and, after a 
severe siege, took and occupied Jerusalem. He was “greatly sur¬ 
prised not to find any image of a deity in the holy of holies.” Pom- 
pey left Hyrcanus to govern the city, not as king, but as high-priest, 
and as subject to Rome. About B. C. 47 Julius Cesar gave Hyrcanus 
the title of ethnarch, made Antipater procurator, and allowed the 
walls of the city to be rebuilt. Herod, about B. (.'. 40, was appointed 
king by the Roman Senate. After a long siege lie captured the city, 
and put to death the leaders of the Maccabean party. About B. 0. 31 
a fearful earthquake occurred. Herod rebuilt and beautified the city. 
He built the magnificent temple which bore his name, the principal 
building being completed about B. C. 9. Jerusalem is very frequently 
mentioned in connection with the ministry of our Lord. Ilis crucifix¬ 
ion is the chief fact in the history of this wonderful city. The siege 
of Titus, which ended in its final overthrow, and was attended with 
unparalleled horrors, began A. D. 70. So thoroughly was the city 
demolished that Josephus declares none would have imagined that it 
ever was inhabited. Its population is now estimated at from 10,000 to 
30,000, made up of Moslems, Jews, Greeks, and miscellaneous repre¬ 
sentatives of many races 

Jor'oan, (flowing down , or the descender,) the chief river of Palestine. 
Its sources are in the slopes of Anti-Libanus. In a direct line from its 
source to the Dead Sea it is only 120 miles; its windings measure 
about 200. Its source at Hashbeiya is 1,700 feet above.the level of the 
Mediterranean; the Dead Sea, into which it empties, is 1,300 feet be¬ 
low the Mediterranean. So the fall in 200 miles is fully 3,000 feet, 
“ which would be 15 feet per mile of its channel, 25 feet per mile of its 
direct distance.” The river varies in width from 80 to 150 feet, and 
in depth from 5 to 12 feet. At its mouth it is 180 feet wide and 3 feel 
deep. Macgregor is the best authority on the Jordan. 


82 


APPENDIX. 


Ju-oe'a. the Greek form of Judah, and used to designate the province 
rather than the tribe. Thus: Ezra iv, 6. After the captivity, when 
Jerusalem was again the metropolis of the whole Israelitish land, “it 
was natural that the name of the great tribe which settled around it 
should prevail above the rest.” In Luke i, 5, Judea is equivalent to all 
Palestine. The provinces cast of the Jordan arc sometimes included in 
the general term Judea. Thus: Matt, xix, 1; Mark x, 1; Luke xxiii, 5. 
Used in this broader sense, Judea, or Palestine, lay between parallel 
of latitude 31° and 33" 30', being nearly two hundred miles from Dan 
in the north to Beersheba in the south, and extending eastward from 
the Mediterranean not quite one hundred miles. But the boundaries 
were so changeable that there cannot be exactness in the statement. 
In the Gospels Judea generally means the southern province of Pal¬ 
estine, the whole being divided into three; Judea in the south, Sa¬ 
maria north of Judea, Galilee north of Samaria. 

Mag da-la, ( a tower,) a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. 
The original name is Magadan. It is mentioned Matt, xv, 39. The 
Dalmanutha mentioned by Mark viii, 10, in a parallel passage was prob¬ 
ably a village near by. Mary, called Magdalene, was probably of 
Magdahu 

Na'in, {beauty, pleasantness,) a town in Galilee, mentioned Luke vii, 
11, as the scene of one of Christ’s greatest miracles. The place still 
exists under the name of Nein. It is about one hour’s ride from Mount 
Tabor. 

Naz'a-keth. The significance of the name is doubtful. It is not men¬ 
tioned in the Old Testament, nor in any classic author. Such was its 
insignificance. Its modern name is Eu-N&sirah. It stands amid the 
highlands of Galilee, two miles from the plain of Esdraclon and six 
west of Mount Tabor, girdled with wooded hills. It was the residence 
of Joseph and Mary, (Luke i, 26, 27, 56 ; ii, 4, 39,) and the home of 
Jesus from the return from Egypt till his baptism. Matt, ii, 23 ; Luke 
hj 39, 51; Matt, iv, 13. His townsmen rejected and sought to kill 
him. Luke iv, 16, etc. lie visited Nazareth again and was despised. 
Matt, xiii, 54-58 ; Mark vi, 1-6. For other allusions to the place com¬ 
pare John i, 45, 46; Acts ii, 22; iii, 6; iv, 10; x, 38; xxii, 8; xxvi, 9. 

Neph'tha-lim, ( my wrestling,) the name of cne of the twelve tribes, ap¬ 
plied in the New Testament to the region of country occupied by his 
descendants. Naphtali is the Old Testament form. The possessions 
given to Naphtali are described Josh, xix, 32-39, and lay at the north¬ 
ern angle of Palestine. It was the principal scene of our Lord’s 
public labors. After his rejection at Nazareth he dwelt in “Caper¬ 
naum, which is upon the sea-coast in the borders of Zebulun and 
Nephthalim.” Matt, iv, 13. Thus was fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah. 
Isa. ix, 1, 2. 

Nin'e-veh, (probably habitation of Nlnus, or City of Nlv, from the As¬ 
syrian god ffln,) the ancient capital of Assyria, and one of the oldest 
cities in the world. It was founded by Nimrod, Gen. x, 11, (margin.) 
The name is found on the Egyptian monuments of Thotlnnes III., 
about 1400 B. C. It is not mentioned in Scripture from Gen. x, 11, 
till Jonah i, 2, about 800 B. C. In Jonah’s day it was an “exceeding 
great city.” Jonah iii, 3; iv, 11. His preaching induced but a tem¬ 
porary repentance, and his predictions were terribly fulfilled. Com¬ 
pare Nahum; Zeph. ii, 13-15; Ezek. xxxi. “Christ employs the 
name of Nineveh as a warning to transgressors.” Matt, xii, 41 ; Luke 
xi, 32. (Read Layard’s “Nineveh and its Remains.”) 

I’a'ma, {a high place,) the Greek form of Ramah. It is used in Matt, 
ii, 18 in reference to Jer. xxxi, 15. It was a city of Benjamin, be¬ 
tween Gibeon and Beeroth. It has been identified with Er-Rarn, a 


APPENDIX. 


83 


miserable village about five miles north of Jerusalem. There was a 
Hamah in Naplitali, (Josh, xix, 36,) and another on the border of 
Asher. Josh, xix, 29. 

Sa'i-im, (peace,) a place near to tho ZEnon where John was baptizing. 
John iii, 23. The point has not been clearly identified. 

Sa-ma ri-a, the middle province of Palestine. Its boundaries shifted 
with the changing governments that ruled it. The name of the prov¬ 
ince was from its capital city, built by Omri about 925 B. C. Shemer, 
the original owner of the land, gave it the name. 1 Kings xvi, 23, 24. 
The city was the capital of the Kingdom of Israel for about two cen¬ 
turies. During most of this period it was a chief seat of idolatry. 
(See the history in the books of Kings and Chronicles.) Herod rebuilt 
it, and named it Sebaste. It is now in ruins. On the final overthrow 
of the kingdom of Israel by Shalmanozer (about 721 B. C.) tho Is¬ 
raelites were removed, and the country settled by stfangers from As¬ 
syria. 2 Kings xvii, 24 ; Ezra iv, 10. These colonists were afterward 
known as Samaritans. These mongrel peoples were despised by the 
Jews. Our Lord passed through this province repeatedly. Compare 
John iv, 4; Luke xvii, 11, etc. 

Sa-rep'ta, a Phenician town between Tyre and Sidon. Tho Old Testa¬ 
ment name is Zarephath. Here Elijah dwelt for a time and performed 
two miracles. 1 Kings xvii, 8-24. It is mentioned by our Lord. Luke 
iv, 26. 

She ba, a place inhabited by a Shemite people, descendants of Joktan, 
inhabiting the south of Arabia. The queen of Sheba visited Solomon. 

1 Kings x, 1-13 ; 2 Chron. ix, 1-12. This people and country seem to 
be referred to Matt, xii, 42; Luke xi, 31. 

Si'dok, or Zi-don, (a fishery ,) an ancient and rich Phenician city on the 
Mediterranean coast. Gen. x, 15,19; Josh, xi, 8. Asher’s inheritance 
came to the “borders of Zidon.” Josh, xix, 28. Its overthrow was 
predicted. Compare Jer. xxvii, 6, 11 ; xlvii, 4; Ezck. xxviii, 21-23, 
etc. All has been fulfilled. Jesus preached in the coasts of Sidon. 
Matt, xv, 21-28; Mark vii, 24-31. Many of the people heard him. 
Mark iii, 8; Luke vi, 17. Jesus compares the Sidomans, as to their op¬ 
portunities and responsibility, with the cities where lie had preached 
and wrought miracles. Luke x, 13, 14. It is mentioned Acts xxvii, 3, 
and alluded to Acts xii, 20. Its modern name is Saida. 

Si-lo'am, a pool of water near Jerusalem. Isa. viii, 6 ; Neh. iii, 15 ; John 
ix, 7-11. Luke xiii, 4, speaks of a “tower of Siloam.” More is not 
known of this tower. 

Sod'om, one of the five cities of the plain, first mentioned Gen. xiii, 10. 
The history of its destruction for its great wickedness is given Gen. 
xviii, 16 ; xix, 29. Old Testament writers often mention it as a warn¬ 
ing of God’s vengeance on reprobate peoples. (Compare Dcut. xxix, 
23 ; Isa. i, 9,10; iii, 9 : Jer. xxiii, 14, etc.) Christ introduces the name 
in reproving the unbelief of his own people. Luke x, 13; Matt, xi, 23. 
(See also 2 Pet. ii, 6-8; Jude 7; Kev. xi, 8.) 

Sy'ciiar, believed to be another name for Sychem, or Shechem. Shcchcm 
means shoulder -blade, from the shape of the ridge of hills on which 
it was built. It is mentioned Gen. xii, 6 ; Josh, xx, 7 ; 1 Kings xii, 
25, etc. Here Jesus preached to “ a woman of the Samaritans.” John iv. 
Its modern name is Nablous. It contains about eight thousand inhab¬ 
itants. It lay within the hills of Ephraim, about thirty-four miles 
north of Jerusalem and seven-miles south of Samaria. Jacob’s well 
is here. 

rKACH-o-Ni'Tis, (a. rugged region ,) probably the Greek equivalent of Ar»- 
god, a district cast’of the Jordan in Bashan, and allotted to the half 
tribe of Manassch. It is described as “ an ocean of basaltic rocks/ 


84 


APPENDIX. 


[t was placed by Cesar Augustus under the rule of Herod, that he 
. might clear it of the banditti with which it was overrun. It was after¬ 
ward a part of the tetrarchy of his son Philip. Trachonitis occurs 
once only in the Bible. Luke iii, 1. 

Tyke, or Ty'rus, (a rock,) a celebrated Phcnician city on the Mediter¬ 
ranean coast. In Isa. xxiii, 12 it is called the “ daughter of Zidon,” 
being settled by Zidonian colonists. It is often mentioned during the 
reign of David, when it was ruled by Hiram. The king of Tyre was 
of great service to Solomon in his various buildings. 1 Kings v; vi, etc. 
(Compare also 1 Kings ix, 25-28; x, 11-22; 2 Chron. viii, 17, 18, etc.) 
The prophecies concerning Tyre are, some of them, singularly full. 
(Compare Isa. xxiii; Ezek. xxvii.) They have been singularly and lit¬ 
erally fulfilled. Gibbon says: “A mournful and solitary silence now 
prevails along the shore which once resounded with the world’s de¬ 
bate.” Christ introduces Tyre, along with Sidon, in reproving the 
unbelief and prejudice of his own people. Matt, xi, 21, 22. He once 
visited the coasts of Tyre and performed an act of mercy, but proba¬ 
bly did not enter the city. (Compare Matt, xv, 21-29; Mark iii, 8; 
vh, 24-31; Luke vi, 17.) The Gospel was received there afterward. 
Acts xxi, 8-6. 

Zeb'u-ldn, (a habitation,) the name of one of the twelve tribes whose 
name designated the region allotted to his descendants. Its borders 
are given in Josh, xix, 10-15. It reached to the borders of Tyre 
northward, and included part of the plain of Esdraelon southward. 
The ministry of Jesus in this region is noted as a fulfillment of proph¬ 
ecy. (Compare Isa. ix, 1, 2, and Matt, iv, 13-16.) 


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—President of Emory College. 
INTRODUCTION BY L. PIERCE, D.D. 

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A BOOK FOR PARENTS, PREACHERS. AND TEACHERS. 


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